Serpentine
by Steeltalon
Summary: Harry Potter was abandoned by his relatives the day they found him. He's raised on the streets and taught to distrust all adults. It's going to be a very different person than Dumbledore was expecting who shows up at Hogwarts...
1. I

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

**It **was safe to say that he had never had real parents. He had been raised on the streets, and taught to distrust all adults. He had grown up knowing one person as his protector and family. A boy who was little more than sixteen, and who he thought of as a big brother. He came to depend on the teen. He loved the teen. He trusted the teen. He had learned everything he knew of survival from this one person, who had never given his name, and who had never asked what the boy's was in all the years they'd been together.

"Keep up, kid. You want food? We have to be quicker than this, or someone will see." The teen was several paces ahead, and his voice startled the smaller male out of his thoughts. He kept his voice low for fear of waking anyone or attracting attention, as it was the dead of night. They tried not to be out and about too much in the daytime. People might see their faces.

The boy quickened his step. He hated to disappoint his big brother. They made a living from stealing, and the boy had grown quite good at it too, in the time he'd been helping his brother. He was the distraction when they needed to steal someone's money, asking directions, or if someone had seen his parents. And he was the lookout, when his brother decided they needed to raid a store in the quiet and stillness of the night.

His brother was the one who did the stealing, as he was far more experienced, and had lightning quick reflexes in case they messed up and had to make a fast getaway. If they needed money, he spotted the targets, and while people were distracted by the boy, his brother would pretend to stumble and would grab the person's arm to steady himself, knocking them off-balance as well. Then he had only seconds to get what they needed, and usually six times out of ten, he got it before someone saw his face. The other four times, they'd had to run as fast as they could and find a place to hide so they wouldn't be caught.

Now, the boy stood motionless in the shadows, watching while his brother broke into the store they'd picked out with as little forced entry as possible. Sometimes they were very lucky - sometimes the owners forgot to lock up the store, and those were the times when the boy and his brother ate well for a while before they had to steal some more. Most of the time though, they had to break in and had minutes at best to get in, grab what they needed, and get out. They didn't eat so well those times, and they'd have to move on to a new place and steal again within a few days at best. At worst, they ran out of food and water - for they only ever stole water because anything else slowed them down too much - in a single day.

If the boy saw the police coming, he had to whistle as loud as he could, to make sure his brother heard it. It had taken him months to get it right, and sometimes they only just got away, thanks to his brother's speed and sharp ears and eyes. Really, people shouldn't go rushing around with flashing lights and loud, wailing sirens if they wanted to catch criminals.

The boy had been given a dagger by his brother when he was younger. "Don't ever use this against another person," the teen had told him seriously, looking deep into his eyes, "unless you have absolutely no other choice. If you use it in any other way except self defense, one day it will hurt you in return. But always keep it close...you never know when you might have need of it." He never had used the dagger, but it was strapped to his waist, within easy reach. Sometimes he kept a hand over the dagger's hilt, fingers just barely brushing the metal to remind himself that it was there.

The boy's eyes were caught by flashing red and blue lights that were still far down the street - but getting closer. He let out a loud, sharp whistle and turned to see his brother darting from the store, the bag they used on raids like this clutched in one long-fingered hand. Not a word was spoken - they'd done this so many times in past years that there was no need to speak. They slipped into a side alley as swiftly and silently as a pair of cats would, their steps light, their breathing controlled.

The cops arrived just seconds later, but were still too late to catch the burglars.

OoOoO

"Hey, kid..."

The boy looked up from caressing the blade of his dagger, slightly surprised that his brother was awake so early the morning after a raid. The teen knelt beside him, gripping his chin gently so he could look the younger full in the face. "I know I've never asked you this before now...but do you remember anything before the night I found you?"

Oh. So that was it...the teen probably wanted to know if he remembered his name or something...

"No..." the boy answered, being completely honest. "Nothing."

The teenager sighed and ran a hand through his wild chestnut-colored hair. "Well, that makes things a bit more difficult to understand, then...because this" - he held up an envelope, showing it to the boy - "was brought here by an owl, of all the unusual things, and it's addressed to a Mr. Harry Potter."

The boy blinked. "I don't know my name, or if I even have one, but I'm pretty sure I'm _not_ this Harry Potter person."

"Hmm...well, I'm going to give you a name," the teen replied. He tilted the boy's chin upwards with one finger and studied him thoughtfully. "You will be called Zephyr."

The boy, now named Zephyr, repeated the name silently to himself. He liked it. "What are you called?" he asked the teen, for he truly didn't know.

There was a long, thoughtful pause. "Living alone, one doesn't need a name. But a long time ago...my mother called me Evan. Evan...Ventulus, I think my last name was."

Zephyr blinked. "So...am I Zephyr Ventulus?"

Evan smiled, the first smile Zephyr had ever seen on his face. "Yes. You are. Now, shall we read this letter? I think it deserves a reply."

OoOoO

_Well, what did you think? Did it suck? Is it good? Before any of you ask, no, Evan is NOT going to be the one Zephyr falls for, and no, he is not going to fall in love with Zephyr. Their relationship is that of brothers and always will be._


	2. II

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

With sure fingers, Evan opened the envelope and pulled out several sheets of paper.

"'Dear Mr. Potter,'" Evan read, with a swift glance at Zephyr. "'We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'" He paused. "How...very interesting..." After a few seconds of scanning, he went on, "'Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.'"

Evan set the letter down and turned his head to stare at Zephyr curiously. "What do you make of that?"

"I think whoever sent this is playing a well-thought-out prank on us," Zephyr muttered. "Really, an owl? Are these people mad?"

Evan chuckled. "You're probably right." He ruffled Zephyr's unruly black hair in a somewhat affectionate gesture. "Well, let's burn this and see if we can hit that new clothing store later today. You've hit another growth spurt, shorty, and those clothes obviously don't fit anymore."

"Okay." Zephyr decided that these people were obviously stark-raving mad, and put the letter out of his mind.

OoOoO

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was nearly giddy with relief. It was a very simple reason as to why. here is was: Harry Potter had been found.

The boy had been missing for ten years. He hadn't been seen in all that time, and now they'd finally pinpointed his location. He was living with an older boy, who had apparently taken care of him since he was a baby. But that was beside the point. Even though the letter had been burned, they had still found the boy. All that was left was to get him away from the older boy.

Life on the streets was no life for the Boy-Who-Lived, after all.

Damn the Dursleys...they were supposed to take care of Harry until he was old enough to come to school! Instead they'd dumped him as far from their home as they dared and left him to die.

Except the boy _hadn't_ died. And that was very, very good news indeed.

OoOoO

"Ready, Zephyr?" Evan breathed next to the raven-haired boy's ear.

"Go. I know the drill," Zephyr murmured back.

And then Evan was gone, trying doors and windows to see if even one had been left unchecked and open. Zephyr peered out from between the branches of the bush they'd been hidden behind. Everything was going as normal, until...

A shout from behind made Zephyr whirl around, hand flying to his dagger. Two men, wearing some sort of robes, had grabbed Evan.

"Run away, Zephyr! Don't come here, just go!" The teen yelled, as Zephyr made to help him. "_Go_!" There was a flash of bright red light, and then Evan went limp and silent.

Torn, Zephyr looked back once before he sprinted away. He weaved back and forth, darting into alleyways and staying out of the streetlights as much as possible to confuse his pursuers, who he could hear yelling after him.

Then there was someone in front of him and he skidded to a halt. He was trapped. The tall figure pointed a long, thin piece of wood at him. There was a flash of red light and then...darkness.

OoOoO

"_Ennervate_."

Zephyr groaned and turned his head to the side as he started to come to. He could hear...someone...talking. But who were they speaking to?

"Harry, my boy, can you hear me?"

_Evan...where is he? Where's my brother?_ He forced his eyes open halfway and brought up a hand to rub his eyes. He'd been...knocked out, it seemed. Before he could try to sit up and figure out where he was, his vision was filled with the smiling face of an extremely old man. Alarmed, he let out a yell, twisted to the side to get his personal space back...and fell. He didn't know what he'd been lying on, or what he fell off of...all he knew was that he landed on an extremely hard surface.

"Now, now, dear boy, there's no cause for alarm."

"No cause for alarm!" Zephyr repeated, his voice rising to a near shout in his panic. He stood swiftly, automatically feeling for his dagger. He felt intense relief when he found it hadn't been taken from him, and wrapped his fingers around the hilt. "You _ambushed_ my brother and I, knocked us out, and brought me here! Where did you take him? What did you do to Evan?!"

"Calm down, Harry, so I can explain," the old man replied calmly. "I am Albus Dumbledore. I-"

"Like I give a rat's ass who you are!" Zephyr shouted. "Where are we, and where is my brother?!" He unsheathed the dagger and caressed the familiar blade. He didn't want to use it, but he would if he didn't get answers soon.

Dumbledore's blue eyes widened slightly at the appearance of the weapon. "We are in the hospital wing of Hogwarts, Harry. Your friend has been taken to my office for questioning."

Zephyr curled his lip, sheathing the dagger. "Why did you bring us here?" he snapped. "And why do you keep calling me Harry? My name is _Zephyr_ Ventulus."

"That's not your name, my dear boy." Zephyr liked this man less and less every passing second. "Your name is Harry Potter. You are the Boy-Who-Lived. The savior of the wizarding world. You clearly have the scar to prove it."

"First of all, yes, my name is really Zephyr. Second of all, I am _not_ this Harry Potter person. Third of all, whatever it is you need saving from, I want no part of it." Zephyr snorted. "Looks like I was right from the start. You're barking, howling mad." He turned his back on Dumbledore with a snort. "I don't care who you think I am. You're wrong, completely wrong. Evan told me I got this scar" - he lifted a hand to brush his fingers along the jagged mark - "from an accident when I was still learning about how to live on the streets. I fell and cut myself on a piece of glass. It doesn't matter. It's in the past. It's over and done." He glanced over his shoulder at the old man, scowling darkly as he added, "I suggest you release my brother, Dumbledore. Or there will be some...very unpleasant retaliation for bringing us here."

So saying, he sat down on what he now recognized as a bed and ignored the man until Dumbledore gave up trying to talk to him and left.

OoOoO

Albus barely refrained from slamming the doors shut when he left the hospital wing. Harry clearly distrusted all adults, and had been brainwashed into thinking his name was Zephyr Ventulus.

Well...this called for some child's influence. It was time to see if Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger could get through to the boy.


	3. III

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Evan entered the hospital wing he'd been directed to by a small, extremely excitable man, and barely got a moment to look around before he was tackled to the floor by a blur of ragged clothes and black hair. His arms wrapped around the small figure protectively as he felt the trembling racking his little brother. "Shh, shh, shh..." he whispered, running his fingers through the soft hair. "I'm here. We're alright, Zephyr. We're alright."

"I don't like this place!" Zephyr cried out, his words muffled as he buried his face in his brother's shirt. "I want to go home!"

Evan couldn't answer. He wanted to go home as well, but they had no idea where they were. He didn't know how to get home from here. In the end all he murmured was, "I understand." He closed his eyes and cradled the warm body for a few moments more before he released Zephyr and sat up. He got to his feet and offered the raven-haired kid his hand.

"Come on, kiddo. It's no good, just sitting here. Might as well figure out exactly _where_ we are. You've still got your dagger?"

"Always," Zephyr replied, taking the hand and pulling himself up.

"Good. Listen to me, Zephyr..." Evan knelt so he could look the younger boy in the eye. More than once he'd been struck by their vibrant green color, thinking how odd it was to have eyes that bright. They seemed to pierce straight through you...Shaking off that train of thought, Evan made sure he had Zephyr's attention before he went on, "I'm going to start teaching you self-defense. You're small and quick, and that's good for running away, but your size can be used against you. One day, you're going to get into trouble, and I might not be around to help you. So you need to be able to fight...both with the dagger, and without it."

Zephyr's jaw dropped. "B-but...but you told me never to use it to hurt--"

Evan cupped his little brother's chin in one hand, gently silencing him. "Little one...learn the distinction between _wanting_ to hurt others with that blade, and _needing _to, to save your own life."

"Sounds the same to me..."

The brown-haired boy chuckled. "I suppose it would, to someone who's never been in a streetfight. Look..." He raised one hand and brushed back his rather long bangs, to reveal a long, thin scar above his left eyebrow. "I got this..." He took one of Zephyr's hands in his free one, and brushed the smaller boy's fingers along the scar. "...about two years before I found you. I was nine at the time. I got caught, trying to steal a man's wallet. Oh, don't look so surprised," he added with a grin at Harry's surprised expression. "Just because I look eighteen doesn't mean I am. I'm twenty years old now, Zephyr. Going on twenty-one."

He allowed Zephyr to touch the scar again. "The man I tried to steal from was carrying a small knife in his pocket. Had I not reacted quickly and thew myself to the sidewalk, I probably would've had my throat slit."

Zephyr's fingers trembled over the mark. The cut must have been deep, and bled a lot...to leave such a lasting scar. "But he still got you. You were still hurt."

"Yes. That's why I taught myself self-defense...why my senses are so sharp, why my reflexes are so quick. I need to teach _you_ what I taught myself all those years ago. I can only pray I will do a good job, because one day I won't be here to watch out for you, and you'll need to be able to look after yourself." He gently tugged the younger boy into a hug.

Zephyr decided to nuzzle his face into his brother's neck rather than think too closely about the older male's words.

OoOoO

Albus looked up as someone knocked on his office door. His guests should be here... "Enter," he called softly. Sure enough, when the door opened, there stood two eleven-year-old children, one with flaming red hair and steel blue eyes, the other with frizzy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. They both looked a bit lost, but awed at being in the Headmaster's study.

"Ah, Ronald, Hermione, I'm glad you could make it!" Dumbledore flashed his most benign smile, playing the part of a grandfatherly figure well.

"Whatever is this about, Headmaster?" Hermione asked, walking forward. Ron followed her, still staring around at the office as though struck speechless.

"There's a very special person I want you to meet," Dumbledore replied. He stood from his chair behind his desk. "Shall we go to meet him?"

"Oh, yes, let's!" Hermione's voice was a squeak of excitement.

"Then let's go." The Headmaster led the way, trying to contain his sense of triumph. With these two around, Harry would surely realize that being here was for his own good.

OoOoO

"How did you get on the streets, Evan?" Zephyr asked after a few minutes of silence. They hadn't moved from their position, Evan kneeling in front of the small boy, Zephyr's head resting in the crook of his big brother's neck, both in a comfortable embrace. _It's surprising,_ Evan thought, _how long it took for me to see how much this kid means to me. But now I see I'd fight to the death to keep him safe. He's..._ he swallowed hard, trying to suppress his emotions so he wouldn't worry Zephyr. _He's the little brother I never had the chance to have._

"Well...I don't really remember, it's been so long...but I'm pretty sure my parents got separated from me and didn't notice I was missing until it was too late. By then I'd run all over the place, and finally found somewhere to hide, thinking they'd find me." Evan felt the thin arms tighten, and couldn't help a small smile that was gone almost as soon as it was there.

"Obviously..." he went on, "they never found me, but the police did, and I was raised in an orphanage until I was nine years old. When I'd had enough of that place, I grabbed the few things I had and ran away from there. A few months later, I got that scar, and two years after that, I found you." He shrugged. "That's really it."

They both jumped as the door of the hospital wing creaked open, and two children ran in, followed by an elderly man. Evan didn't recognize him, but Zephyr obviously did, because he stiffened in the older man's arms. "Don't let him take me, Evan," the young boy whimpered.

Evan narrowed his eyes suspiciously, slowly getting to his feet and taking up a defensive position, with one foot planted in front of his brother and his hands fisted loosely at his sides.

"Relax, my dear boy," the old man said. "I'm sorry we had to use force to get you here, but you are safe now." He seemed to be talking to Zephyr alone. Evan moved further to the side, so he was blocking this man's view of the raven-haired child completely. Chocolate brown eyes glared into twinkling blue as Evan crossed his arms over his chest and began to tap one foot slowly.

"Ah...you must be the boy's...guardian. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and - "

"I. Don't. Care," Evan growled out, narrowing his eyes still further. "You could be the king of the world and I wouldn't care. I want to know _why_ you kidnapped us both. I want to know _where_ we are, and I want to know why you brought us here." He didn't like this old man. He was the picture of a grandfatherly figure, ready to help his students with any problem they might have.

But...that's all it was. Just an illusion. There was something shadowy just beneath the surface, something that sent red flags up in Evan's mind. Something dark, manipulative, cunning. He didn't want Zephyr around this kind of person. Hell, _he_ didn't want to be around this kind of person.

Dumbledore's eyes widened innocently, giving off the image of a genuinely surprised expression. _His expressions...his words...they're all lies. All deceptions. Even if he answers, I can't trust him,_ Evan's instincts warned him. He'd been relying on his instincts since he was nine years old. They'd always led him right, even in bad situations, like the one that had led to the scar on his forehead and countless others like it. It would be a bad idea to start ignoring them now.

"Why, this is where Harry belongs!" Dumbledore replied. "This is where he will be schooled until he is seventeen years of age, with other children like him. You need not worry that he will be unsafe."

"Hmm..." Evan hummed lightly, giving away none of his suspicions. "And what if...I said he wasn't to be taught here?" he questioned mildly, mindful of the two other children who were clearly excited yet wary of going near him.

"I've brought Ronald and Hermione here to see how well Harry gets on with other children his age," Dumbledore responded, as if Evan hadn't spoken. With how quietly the brown-haired man had spoken, and how thrilled with the idea of Zephyr being taught here the old man seemed to be, he might not have noticed Evan's words. Or...he was just ignoring them.

"_Zephyr_ has never been around children his age," Evan interjected coldly, making sure Dumbledore got the point this time by locking eyes with the Headmaster. "He has been with me since I found him abandoned in an alley. He was just a baby then. He has never known what it is to play with other children, and no doubt, he won't have the time if he chooses to stay with me rather than study here."

With a jolt, Evan realized that he was giving Zephyr a warning of what life would be like with him, and the choice to leave him or to stay here, even if Dumbledore wouldn't have. He looked down into those brilliant green eyes, taking in the childish facial features. It would pain him to be away from Zephyr, but he had a choice. This small child was the only family he knew, even if they weren't related by blood. He was trying to give the little boy more freedom.

Zephyr stared back, fisting his small hands in the fabric of Evan's torn jeans. He wanted his brother to make the decision for him, but he realized the choice was his and his alone. With a deep breath, he glanced from the children to the headmaster and back to Evan. Then, very slightly so only Evan would see, he jerked his head from side to side. He didn't trust this man. He didn't like this place. He didn't want to know other kids. He just wanted it to be him and his big brother.

"No...I see, then," Evan murmured. He looked back up at Dumbledore. The man was far too confident. "Zephyr has chosen to stay with me, Dumbledore. I trust we will be allowed to leave as soon as possible. Meaning," he added sharply, as the old man opened his mouth, possibly to tell them they couldn't leave, "we want to leave now, and if you try to keep us here, we will take our freedom by force." He reached into one pocket, and pulled out a switchblade. When he flicked it open, the blade was revealed to be six inches long and serrated like a steak knife.


	4. IV

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Running one finger along his blade, and very much aware of the strangled gasps from Ronald and Hermione, Evan went on smoothly, "It's your choice. But, should you attempt to stop us from leaving, it won't be pretty."

There was a quiet _shnick_ behind him, and he guessed that Zephyr had partly unsheathed his dagger. He couldn't quite stifle the burst of pride in his little brother. Good. he was beginning to trust his instincts. _The ball's in this old man's court now, though,_ he thought, frowning a bit as he looked back at Dumbledore. _What will he do?_ Brown eyes narrowed. _What's his next move?_

OoOoO

Hermione had frozen at the appearance of the knife. Just...just who were these people? Dumbledore had told her and Ron that they had finally found Harry Potter, the boy who had disappeared when he was very little. But though Dumbledore kept calling this child Harry, and the unruly raven hair and emerald eyes were exactly as they'd been described to her, the boy didn't respond to the name.

Feeling her fear drain away slightly, she moved her brown gaze from the blade to the child huddling behind the man holding it. Yes...black hair, bright green eyes...but clearly _not_ named Harry Potter.

She got up slowly, ignoring Ron's whisper to stay where she was, and approached the child cautiously. As she moved, she saw the man's chocolate-colored eyes fllick towards her, study her thoroughly, and then return to Dumbledore's face. She obviously wan't seen as a threat...but Dumbledore was, if the wicked blade and venomous stare were anything to go by. She shivered slightly. This man...had a dangerous air about him. Kind of like a wild animal defending his cub.

Hermione stopped a few feet away and held out her hand with a small, uncertain smile. "Hello, my name is Hermione Granger." She met his wary green eyes with warm brown. "What's yours?"

He studied her, just as the older man had done just a minute ago. They were a lot alike, though they didn't look it. Finally, he moved the hand that wasn't holding the hilt of his dagger towards her. His movements were slow, hesitant. He was wary of her. He didn't trust anyone in this room, she realized, except the man he had apparently been raised by.

When he spoke, his words were soft, and just as cautious as his movements. "My name is Zephyr. Zephyr Ventulus." Hermione grasped his hand and shook it gently, her smile widening. He waited until her grip slackened before he took his hand back, and continued studying her as though she was the most alien thing he'd ever seen.

"It's very nice to meet you, Zephyr. You have a nice name. What language is it?"

Zephyr glanced at Evan uncertainly, then at Dumbledore, and lowered his voice even more, so that he was almost whispering. "My brother told me it's Latin. Zephyr means "west wind", and Ventulus means "breeze", or "soft wind"." They fell silent, Hermione lost in her thoughts. A wonderful Latin name...but why that one? Surely a word for raven would fit better?

"Listen to me," he hissed suddenly, looking straight into her eyes. His grip tightened on his weapon, so much so that his knuckles turned white. "Tell your Headmaster that I don't want to be taught here. I want to go home with my brother. Tell him if he ever comes after us again, I'll...I'll..." His hand trembled on his weapon's hilt, and when he spoke again, she had to strain to hear his words. "I'll stab him through the heart! I'll kill him to keep my brother safe! Tell him that, you hear?"

In spite of her sudden jolt of fear, Hermione couldn't help admiring this boy's courage. He couldn't be older than she was, but he was ready to kill to protect everything that he knew. She knew that if it came down to it, she'd sacrifice her life to save her family, but she couldn't kill anyone, nor could she think about it without feeling a bit queasy.

She jumped as his hand shot forward and his fingers curled around her wrist. His intense eyes glared into hers. "Am I understood?" he asked through clenched teeth, and she nodded slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements. This was a dangerous individual. Both he and his brother were dangerous, ready to kill if needed. They were like cornered wolves. Or trapped foxes.

Against her will, her eyes strayed to his half-revealed blade, and then to the knife the older man still held. No, she decided. They were more dangerous than cornered wild animals, because they were human beings who could think and plan - and they had the instinct to kill and the will to act on it.

OoOoO

Zephyr released the young girl, sheathed his dagger completely, and glanced up at his brother. Evan hadn't broken Dumbledore's gaze once, though it had been a few minutes. He reached up and tugged on the brown-haired man's hand. "I want to leave," he hissed. "I want to leave _now_!"

At once, Evan released the lock on his switchblade and the knife snapped out of sight. "Alright, kiddo," he murmured. "We're leaving now. With or without your permission, we're going, and you know what will happen if you or anyone else here tries to stop us," he shot at Dumbledore before he grasped the wirsts of the boy behind him and gently lifted Zephyr to his feet.

"Goodbye, then," Hermione called. Zephyr looked back in surprise, but gave her a nod and followed his brother past Dumbledore. The aged man made a move as though he was going to hold him back, but Zephyr paused and shifted his hand so it was once more by his dagger, and Dumbledore froze.

"Listen well, old man," Zephyr hissed through tightly clenched teeth, narrowing his brilliant green eyes. "If you ever come near me or my brother again...this dagger will find a home between your ribs."

Not bothering to stay to watch Dumbledore's reaction, he stalked after his brother. Dumbledore was wrong. Wrong! His name was Zephyr Ventulus. He was the younger brother of Evan Ventulus. He would not be schooled here. He was going home with his brother, and then they would probably leave, and go somewhere else for a while.

"Zephyr," Evan said quietly after a few minutes, "you didn't need to say that."

The raven-haired boy looked away from those serious chocolate brown eyes. "Of course I did. I needed to make sure he got the point didn't I?"

Evan frowned. "Let me rephrase that. You _shouldn't_ have said that."

Zephyr looked up, startled. "Why not? Isn't defending you and our home the same as self-defense?"

The older male ran a hand through his chestnut-brown hair with a soft sigh. "Yes, but that's not what I meant. Making threats like that...Zephyr...you don't need to kill someone to defend yourself. You just need to make sure they know not to harm you again. He didn't harm us. There was no need to threaten him."

Zephyr looked down and mumbled, "No, he didn't. All he did was abduct us and try to force me into a place where I might not want to go." _And it's more than likely he'll try again,_ he added mentally. _But I don't think you realize that, Evan. I did the right thing by threatening him. He'll leave us alone...for a little while at least._


	5. V

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Dumbledore gritted his teeth, glaring at the retreating backs of the two males. He'd done everything in his power short of forcing them to stay and using magic to stop them from leaving, and nothing had changed. Harry was still convinced that his name was Zephyr, and that this man was his older brother.

Maybe he'd gone about things the wrong way. But the Wizarding Community was desperate! They were scared as to where Harry had gone, and why he'd vanished.

"Headmaster," Hermione said softly, "that boy isn't Harry."

Albus stiffened, then forced himself to relax. "No, Miss Granger, I assure you that he _is_ Harry Potter."

"For God's sake!" the little girl burst out, surprising Dumbledore. She didn't seem the type to yell unless she was very upset."You're so determined to find your savior, you don't realize the truth when it's right under your nose!" Her voice was quivering with anger. "You _abducted_ a boy and his older brother on a whim! You've no proof he _is_ Harry! He doesn't respond to the name Harry! You're just too desperate to notice!"

She dashed from the hospital wing in a rage. Dumbledore closed his eyes with a sigh. He should never have chosen Hermione to come here. She was far too perceptive.

Yes...he'd definitely gone about this the wrong way. And everything could be ruined because of his eagerness to jump in.

OoOoO

"I should tell you," Evan murmured, wrapping an arm around Zephyr's shoulders and drawing him close. "The man I spoke to in that old moron's office said we'll be staying here. He didn't say how long, but I get the sense we won't be able to just get up and leave."

Zephyr quivered, not in fear, but from the force of the sheer anger that flooded him. "That damn old man," he growled. "I hate him."

"Someone as young as you doesn't know what true hatred is," Evan responded, so quietly that Zephyr wasn't sure if he was meant to hear. "No...true hatred comes from watching someone you trusted kill someone you care deeply for." His brown eyes darkened with some emotion the younger boy couldn't read.

"What?"

The older male shook his head, shaking his wild chestnut-brown hair back from his face in the same movement. "Nothing. This is our place," he added abruptly, stopping outside a picture of a rose twined around a jagged silver-bladed dagger with a serpent's head for a hilt, its acid green stem bristling with blood red thorns, its petals a darker shade of red than the thorns. The serpent's mouth was open, proudly displaying its fangs and slender, forked tongue; its eyes were glittering, ruby red. The background was a mix of the colors silver, black, and dark blue weaving between each other but never mixing.

Evan clicked his fingers lightly to get Zephyr's attention back. "Listen to our password. Remember it, because if you forget it, you might be locked out until someone wanders by and happens to know it." He turned back to the portrait and said clearly, "Lapis lazuli."

To Zephyr's surprise, there was a soft click, and the picture swung inward. "I was told it's usually a kind of gem," Evan said, laying a hand on the small boy's shoulder and guiding him inside. "And I'll be told when the pasword changes, so I'll be sure to tell you, okay?"

Zephyr nodded, taking in the room. It was done in colors similar to the ones in the portrait background, with some lighter shades mixed in.

There was a three-person sofa and a few armchairs in front of a crackling fire that warmed the entire room. The armchairs were dark blue, and the sofa was sort of a sky blue, with darker blue cushions. The floor was covered in deep blue carpet. There was a coffee table in here too, which Evan pointed out with some distaste. Zephyr could understand some of what the brown-eyed male was feeling - excess furniture made for unneeded obstacles, and a slow escape if one was needed. When the two poked around a few other rooms, they found a kitchen, two bathrooms, and two bedrooms, as well as a few closets. "I don't know why they think we need more than one closet," Evan had remarked scornfully as they discovered the second one. "It's not as if we ever carried more than the bare minimum we needed to survive."

Zephyr couldn't help but agree after they found the third closet, located in the smaller of the bathrooms. The things he and Evan had kept with them were barely enough to fill half of one of the bedroom closets. And they were mostly clothes.

_This is going to suck,_ he thought with a sigh, letting his fingertips dance over the hilt of his dagger.

A second later, he was tackled to the floor and held there by a heavy weight. He was completely still, frozen with surprise and winded, and it only took a few more moments for his dagger to be slid from its sheath and tossed out of his reach. Then he was flipped onto his stomach and one of his arms was tugged behind his back. It was then that he began to struggle to get loose, only to freeze as a knee was planted in the middle of his back, gently enough that he wasn't hurt but firmly enough to hold him down.

"First lesson in self defense - _always_ be on your guard," Evan said matter-of-factly, releasing him and stepping back quickly to avoid retaliation. "You can't be caught unawares, because it only takes a second for a knife to be slipped between your ribs. And then you're done." He snagged Zephyr's dagger and backed away, setting it on the coffee table. "Now...try to get me off my feet."

Zephyr scrambled up, but the moment he was standing again, Evan rushed him again. He braced himself to be tackled again, and was therefore unprepared for the kick that Evan aimed at his ankles as he ran by. Caught by surprise - again - Zephyr wound up staggering to regain his balance. A small shove from Evan knocked him to the floor again.

"Concentrate!" Evan growled, narrowing his eyes. "Look at my size, Zephyr! You can't hope to win against me in a contest of strength! You are smaller, and therefore faster! If you can avoid me, then do so!"

As soon as Zephyr regained his feet again, Evan made as if he was going to tackle the smaller boy, who stepped neatly to one side. Evan smirked and flung out an arm as he passed, letting two fingers brush gently against the side of Zephyr's neck, right where he knew a vein was resting below the thin layer of skin. He stopped moving just a bit beyond his little brother, and murmured, "Dead." He walked to Zephyr's side and rested a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Zephyr, you'll have to move farther than that to escape something like that. If I'd been holding a knife, your throat would have been slit."

Zephyr let out an annoyed sigh. "Fine, fine. Try me again."

The two kept it up until Zephyr just flopped to the ground, completely out of breath. His muscles were burning from exertion, and there were a few places on his arms and legs that he was sure would be sporting lovely bruises before long. Evan hadn't shown him any favor, except when he was performing a move that would kill, if done at full-force or with a blade.

Evan stared down at him with his head tipped to one side, a small half-smile toying at one corner of his mouth. He was winded, too, but not nearly so much as Zephyr. "You did well, for a beginner."

Zephyr scowled up at him, but there was a good-humored gleam in those strikingly green eyes. "If only you'd gone a bit easier on me, I might have done better!"

The brown-haired teen shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Someone isn't going to walk up to you and say, "Watch out, now, I'm going to stab you!" it doesn't work like that. You need to be ready to be able to take care of yourself." His expression went slightly vacant. "If you're not, it will be my fault. Because I won't always be around to help you, and you can't always just pick and choose your battles."

Zephyr sighed. _There he goes again, with that strange mood of his,_ he thought, prodding his brother gently to rouse him. _I wish I knew what he meant earlier...but I can't force it out of him. If he tells me, it will be when he wants to. Not before._

As he slowly and shakily got to his feet, he sighed again. He didn't like the idea that...that his brother would be gone some day, or that Evan would be hurt defending him. He didn't like it at all.


	6. VI

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

That night, as he listened to his brother's soft, even breathing, Evan found himself unable to rest. He let out a long, soft sigh, rolling his shoulders to relieve some of the tension in his muscles. How long had it been since he'd gotten a good rest? Weeks? Months? Years? He didn't know. He remembered getting brief snatches of fitful sleep, usually three or four hours at most. Even when he was a kid. It was enough for him.

He sighed and shook his head bitterly. This whole setup stank of manipulation. The old man - Dumbledore...he was a master of it. He knew how to get the answers he wanted without asking any direct questions. And he knew how to get people to do what he wanted without actually telling them. He was a dangerous man.

Evan looked down at the small body curled up on the bed. He was sitting in the windowsill of Zephyr's bedroom. He'd done it so often - watching over Zephyr like this - that it was habitual now. Nice to have at least a few constants in this odd place...

He glanced out the window. It was cold, pressed against his shoulder and leg. It must be getting close to fall...close to September, if the nights were this chilled. And they must be pretty far north. Useful information, but not enough to get an idea of where they were. After all, they'd been knocked out and taken here, so they hadn't seen any land formations or buildings that would be helpful.

No...best to sit back and wait - and if they had to stay here for a while, then so be it.

Evan shifted his weight a bit, then turned his head to look at his little brother. He looked so soft, so vulnerable...he'd never be able to avoid this crazy old moron's manipulations without help.

Wait. Stop. Rewind. Think that over.

Evan frowned. This man...this master of manipulations...treated everyone as if they were pawns. Pawns in a game. They could be sacrificed; they could be used as shields. Like...like a game of chess.

A grin spread across the brown-haired man's face. That was it. That was the way to get around Dumbledore. When someone toys with you...you toy with them right back.

_And that's exactly what I have to teach Zephyr to do._

Yes...his little brother would be quite busy. Busy learning self defense, and learning how to avoid becoming a pawn in the old man's game.

OoOoO

Zephyr was dreaming. But it wasn't an ordinary dream. It was flashing...flickering...changing every few moments. The first image was of a person - a man, by the look of it, though he couldn't see the face - clutching his shoulder. Blood was seeping between the fingers of his hand. The second was a pair of eyes gazing intently into his own. He heard a voice whispering something too faint to really hear. Then the scene changed again - there was a panicky feeling in his chest and he seemed to be running, looking for something. Then the final one...and probably the most terrible. Evan's face was staring at something he couldn't see, full of fear. The brunet opened his mouth, maybe to yell something, and then...darkness.

The raven-haired boy sat bolt upright, green eyes wide and Evan's name on his lips. Suddenly he was being pushed back down gently but firmly. Evan's voice was murmuring, "Easy, Zephyr. Steady..." Not a shout. Not a scream. A calm, soothing murmur.

Slowly, Zephyr came back to earth. He was lying in bed, in an unfamiliar room, and Evan was holding him down with a concerned look in his chocolate-brown eyes. "Where's the bleeding man?" Zephyr whispered, his vision going slightly out of focus. "Who was talking, Evan? Was someone here? Why were you scared?"

Now Evan looked alarmed. "What bleeding man, Zephyr?" When Zephyr couldn't answer, he went on with a slight shake in his voice, "No one was talking. No one else was here. I would know - I would have seen..." He drew in a deep breath and seemd to make an effort to calm down. Then he gently ruffled Zephyr's hair. "I think it's nothing to worry about, kid. You probably just had a very weird dream."

"I...yeah, okay. Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you or - "

Evan smiled faintly. "Don't freak out about it. Anyway...I guess you're turning eleven in two weeks, according to Mr. For-the-Greater-Good Dumbledore. July thirty-first. Then you've got a month to decide of you want to stay here, or go with me."

Zephyr stared. "I thought I said I wanted to - "

"I know what you said yesterday," Evan said softly, laying a finger on Zephyr's lips to silence him. "But I don't think you know what it would mean if you were to go with me. No, listen," he added, moving his whole hand to cover the young boy's mouth as Zephyr made to protest. "_Listen_ to me, Zephyr. I don't know where we are. I don't know if we're in the same country as we were before we were brought here. I don't know if we're even on the same _continent_. We could be anywhere in the world. I'm asking you if you really want to give up the safety of this place to go wandering around in an unfamiliar landscape."

He removed his hand and stood from where he'd been sitting on Zephyr's bed. "You don't have to answer now. Think about it for a while first. Because I don't want to take the chance that if you change your mind, we can't get back here."

Zephyr lunged forward, wrapping his small fingers around Evan's wrist. "Then don't leave here! Don't leave me here alone, Evan!" He could feel his eyes filling with tears as his fingers tightened, then released their grip. He was shaking, frightened that his brother might rather go wandering in unfamiliar places than stay and keep him safe.

Then he was warm, incredibly warm. Even the blankets hadn't been this warm last night. With a start, he realized that Evan was holding him tightly, as though he was a father comforting his son. The brown-haired man's chin was resting on Zephyr's head, one hand on the boy's upper back, the other wrapped snugly around his midsection. Hesitantly, Zephyr moved his head to rest on Evan's chest, taking comfort from the embrace.

"I won't," Evan breathed, so softly Zephyr almost didn't hear. "I won't leave, not unless you want me to. I didn't mean to upset you."

It was nice, Zephyr decided, to be held like this. Evan was warm, and he didn't want to move. But then Evan was pulling away, offering the raven-haired child a hand and a crooked smile. "Come on, then. I've got a lot to teach you, and you've got a lot to learn."

Zephyr sighed. "More self-defense?" But he took his older brother's hand anyway.

"Well, yes," Evan responded, tugging him toward the kitchen. "But the somewhat more pressing issue is teaching you how to avoid that puppet master's manipulations. So you'll be learning how to play chess." He tossed a grin back at Zephyr. "I have faith that you'll learn it easily."

"But - "

"No buts," Evan interrupted. "First we eat, then we poke around some more and see if we can't find a chessboard. If we can't, well...we digest, then we get on with your defense lessons."

Zephyr sighed and resigned himself to what was sure to be a very long, tiring day.


	7. VII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Evan let out a quiet grunt as Zephyr's foot connected with the forearm he'd only just lifted in time to block the kick. He quickly grasped Zephyr's ankle and jerked it, trying to unbalance the smaller boy. When Zephyr staggered, fighting to regain his balance while only standing on one leg, Evan grinned and let go. He chuckled at the startled shout and heavy thump that followed and extended a hand to help his brother up. "Again," he said, "and try to be faster."

Zephyr growled softly and gripped Evan's hand, quickly regaining his feet and dropping into a defensive crouch. When they'd been unable to find a chess board, Evan had pushed the coffee table out of the middle of the floor and taken up a fighting stance. They'd been going at it for hours now, and Zephyr was sure he'd be sporting a few new bruises tomorrow. Not just from Evan's blows - he'd fallen quite a few times. He couldn't help it - Evan had the advantage of size, and he used it well.

Evan had slowly loosened his muscles as Zephyr paused, as if he wasn't expecting the little boy to launch an attack anytime soon. But the look in those chocolate brown eyes was calculating, and though he never broke his gaze, Zephyr knew Evan was studying his body language carefully. Even the smallest twitch of a muscle would tell the experienced fighter which way he was going to strike from.

Zephyr couldn't help the small glow of admiration at his brother's calm skill. Evan was a smart fighter, and probably just as clever when it came to other things - like reading people. He had to bite the inside of his cheek hard to keep himself from grinning. He needed to focus.

What had Evan said? _The trick is to use your smaller size and speed to your advantage against a bigger opponent. They might be stronger or better at fighting, but if you're faster than them and you don't get caught, you might be able to run away._

Be fast. But man, no matter how fast he tried to be, Evan somehow seemed to be just a bit faster. The advantage of being alone for so many years, Zephyr guessed. He was drawn from his thoughts by Evan's amused-sounding voice asking, "Have you frozen like that, brat?"

With a growl, Zephyr stood and swung his foot at Evan's shoulder as fast as he was able.

...Only to feel a slightly painful, sharp jolt as Evan brought up his arm again, so quickly it was almost a blur, and blocked his kick yet again. Zephyr gasped as the impact sent shockwaves up his leg, and his hesitation made him lose his balance and fall again.

Evan blinked, slightly surprised. He barely noticed the smile that was slowly spreading across his face at his brother's completely stunned expression. Lifting one hand to his mouth, he coughed lightly to hide the laughter that was building in his chest, but he couldn't quite get rid of the small half-smirk.

"Ah man, no way!" Zephyr suddenly shouted. Evan coughed again, feeling minute tremors going through his body as he choked back his amusement. He wouldn't be able to hide it for much longer if Zephyr kept this up. Though, he _really_ didn't want to break down in a laughing fit.

"How the heck are you so fast, Evan?" the black-haired child asked, narrowing his green eyes.

Evan couldn't help his wide grin. "Very good reflexes. It's the gift of the gods, Zephyr." He ruffled the unruly hair fondly and started for the kitchen. "How about we eat and then take a break, kid?"

Zephyr perked up considerably at that and scrambled to his feet. Food sounded awesome.

OoOoO

A few minutes later, Evan settled at the table with a still-steaming cup of tea. It was loaded with cream and sugar, just the way he liked it. He took a sip, ignoring the heat, and couldn't stop his tiny sigh of appreciation. Sweet, but not too sweet. He wrapped his hands around the mug, trying to warm them, and felt the same surprise that he'd felt when he'd first discovered the everyday cups return. Dumbledore was so eccentric he'd almost thought he'd be drinking out of a bowl.

He took another sip, relishing the warmth. It burned down his throat and heated his stomach even long after he'd swallowed.

"Evan?"

He hummed to show he was listening without pausing from his drinking. Oh, he needed this...some familiarity in this upside-down world. He could hear Zephyr's fingers tapping uncertainly, and lowered his mug regretfully to give his brother a questioning look.

"Um...do...do you...ever sing?"

Well, that was unexpected. Evan set down his tea with a light 'thunk' and stared. It seemed to make Zephyr uncomfortable - the child tapped his fingers faster and wouldn't make eye contact. He seemed to know he'd taken Evan by complete surprise.

The chestnut-haired man felt his jaw muscles working as he tried to form a response. Yes, once upon a time, he'd enjoyed singing. But that was years ago. "...When I was a lot younger, I did," he murmured, looking down at the wooden table and tracing patterns in the wood with his eyes without really seeing them. Oh, yes, he'd loved singing. But he'd learned, and quite quickly, that drawing attention was the worst thing you could do when you were on the streets alone. His left shoulder seemed to burn at the memory.

"...Why don't you sing now?" The question was just as hesitant as the first.

Evan winced, bringing one hand up to thread his fingers through his hair. His answer came out low, unsteady, and harsher than he'd intended. "It was a mistake I couldn't afford to make on the streets. Besides, there wasn't time for hobbies or relaxing." He stood, his chair moving back swiftly, with a harsh scarping noise. "I'll be in my bedroom if you need me, Zephyr." So saying, he left the kitchen.

OoOoO

Zephyr looked down at the potato chips on his plate, biting his lip. He hadn't meant to pry...he was just curious. But clearly, Evan's past on the streets was a sore subject even now. He glanced at Evan's half-finished mug of tea, sighed, and stood up. He wrapped his small fingers around the still-warm handle and lifted it. Then he left the kitchen, taking care not to spill Evan's drink, and followed the older male to his room.

Once outside the locked door, he knocked gently twice and turned the knob. "Evan?" he asked softly, opening the door and stepping into the room, looking around.

The door to the small bathroom opened, and Evan stepped out. Zephyr felt his eyes widen in surprise. The older male had taken off his shirt, exposing a well-muscled stomach, chest and shoulders. But that wasn't what drew Zephyr's attention.

Evan's chest, biceps, and stomach were covered in scars. Small ones, probably caused by introductions to asphalt and concrete, and bigger ones, most likely left by blades. But even more shocking was the fact that across his chest, carved into his flesh with painful, curving letters, was the word _sinner._


	8. VIII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

"What did you come in here for?" Evan asked quietly, crossing his arms over his chest in a way that covered the ugly scars. Zephyr's throat felt stuck together with horror. For a few minutes he could only stare mutely at his brother, until Evan clicked his tongue softly and moved to put on one of the few shirts he owned.

Zephyr shook his head violently. "I-I brought your drink," he murmured. But it seemed a feeble response after what he'd seen.

Evan made a noise that wasn't quite a sigh or a laugh. "Appreciate it," he muttered, turning to face Zephyr again and taking the mug from him. He downed its contents in three gulps, handed the cup back, and began to pull on the long-sleeved white cotton shirt he'd taken from the closet. Though the scars were hidden from view, they were still there, and Zephyr found himself staring at Evan once more.

Evan sighed and said, "Stop thinking about it, Zephyr, because the event that gave me these scars is over and done with."

"I can't stop thinking about it!" Zephyr blurted. "Whoever did that is sick! Crazy! Insane! Completely off his rocker! Who could _do_ such a thing?!" He was aware of the growing hysteria in his voice, but he did nothing to suppress it. Because truly, he was at his breaking point. First Dumbledore kidnapped them both, then he brought them here to a place that was both unfamiliar and forbidding, and then, Zephyr found out his brother's body was scarred forever by some maniac who he _really_ wished he could sink his blade into right this second and -

He was brought back to himself by Evan grabbing his shoulder roughly. Not enough to hurt, but enough that he had Zephyr's complete attention.

There was a look in those chocolate-colored eyes that made chills go up Zephyr's spine. It was a haunted, deadened, almost defeated look, but there was still a spark of strength in them as well. _They say the eyes are the windows to the soul,_ Zephyr thought, remembering one of Evan's favorite sayings. Well, if he was seeing Evan's soul, then whatever had scarred him had done much more damage than just physical. The memories, Zephyr realized, would never have left the older male. They probably replayed...over and over in his mind, every day.

"He _wasn't_ in his right mind, Zephyr," Evan murmured. "As I've told you, there's a difference between wanting to hurt someone, and needing to, to save yourself." His grip tightened a moment, before he moved his hand to gently cup Zephyr's chin so the black-haired child couldn't look away. "The man who scarred me _wanted_ to hurt me. He was a sadist of the worst kind." His thumb gently brushed Zephyr's cheek, and Zephyr realized that at some point he'd started crying. Evan's voice had lowered to a whisper by the time he said, "I killed him to save my own life. I'm not proud of it...but it was me or him."

OoOoO

"The bond between them is remarkably strong," a raspy, high, almost weak-sounding voice remarked. Its accent was faint, but it was there, in a soft hiss that stressed the "s" in his words.

"Yes," a lower, much stronger voice responded. "And the older...he could prove to be a useful ally."

"Correct." The conversation was clearly carried by two different people...and yet the young, tall man was the only one in the room. "But then...they both could. The younger has no idea...who he _really_ is. And...clearly...they both distrust Dumbledore."

"All the more to our advantage, Master."

"Yesss..." The accent was thicker now in the first speaker's voice. "Thisss could prove to be...an interesssting year at Hogwarts, wouldn't you agree?"

"But of course. After all...whoever thought something like _this_ would happen?"

The first speaker let out a cold laugh. "Not even I thought things would turn out this way. Dumbledore has made his biggest mistake yet. How..._amusing_ it is to watch him struggle...oh, yes...this will be fun."

OoOoO

They'd been silent for half an hour now. It was killing Zephyr. The quiet was overwhelming, though he knew that Evan would speak when he wanted some point, they'd shifted so that Zephyr's back was pressed against his older brother's chest and Evan's arms were wrapped loosely around his midsection. Zephyr could feel his brothers quiet, even breaths against his neck, and he was impatient to break the long pause.

Finally, five minutes later, he could take it no longer. "Evan?" he whispered.

"Mm..." Zephyr took that to mean that Evan was listening.

"...Will you sing to me?" he asked softly, hesitantly.

Evan sighed. "You're not going to give it up until I do," he murmured, sounding as if Zephyr had stopped him from dozing off. He cleared his throat, and began to sing softly, almost uncertainly:

_"I have often dreamed of a far-off place, where a great, warm welcome will be waiting for me. Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face, and a voice keeps saying, 'This is where I'm meant to be'..."_ He took a swift breath and continued, more confidently,_ "I will find my way; I can go the distance. I'll be there, someday, if I can be strong. I know every mile, will be worth my while. I would go most anywhere, to feel like I...belong."_

The silence had returned, but this time Zephyr didn't feel the need to break it. Evan's singing voice was...nothing like his speaking voice. It was a clear, strong tenor, nothing like the low, sometimes hesitant way Evan usually spoke.

"You have a nice singing voice," Zephyr whispered after a while.

Evan didn't reply, but the arms around Zephyr's waist tightened affectionately.

OoOoO

After he put the child to sleep, Evan sat in Zephyr's window again that night, staring out into the darkness. Almost subconsicously, he opened his mouth and sang softly, _"I am on my way; I can go the distance. I don't care how far - somehow I'll be strong. I know every mile, will be worth my while. I would go most anywhere to find where I belong."_

Yes...he definitely would. He'd be strong. He'd stay...for Zephyr. Somehow, he would find the tolerance to endure Dumbledore's manipulations.

And eventually...he would put the horrors of watching his beloved Amanda fall to the blade of the one he would have died for behind him.

He hugged his knees to his chest, feeling a suppressed, tormented scream desperately trying to force its way out of him. He did his best to fight it back, but he couldn't bite back a pained moan. Oh, Amanda...he could heal from the pain...but he could never get rid of the memories...


	9. IX

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

It was the time before the dawn when the moon had set, and the sun had yet to stain the sky with milky gray light. Everything was still and silent. Silent except for Zephyr's slow, deep breathing, and Evan's quieter, more controlled breaths. There was comfort in the quiet. It made everything seem still, and it was easier to hear if someone was trying to sneak up on you if you were completely silent. And...easier to take someone by surprise if they thought you were sleeping.

Evan was jolted out of his thoughts by a creak. Not the kind of sound a door makes when it's opening, or a tree branch shaking in a bad wind storm...but the sort an old, loose floorboard makes when it's stepped on. He was on high alert instantly, scanning the room for a quick escape route if one would be needed, and listening intently. If it was Dumbledore...he was in for a nasty surprise.

The chestnut-haired male slid noiselessly from his seat in the window. His bare feet made no noise on the plush carpet as he stalked lightly to the closed door and put a hand to the pocket of his jeans. The familiar lump where his switchblade rested was a relief.

He carefully shifted his weight so he stood with one heel slightly raised off the floor, and the other was slightly in front of it. He tensed his muscles to spring and slid his knife out of his pocket, narrowing his brown eyes. And still, he listened. Listened for another tell-tale creak that would tell him if his mind was playing tricks on him, or if there really was someone in these rooms. Every muscle in his body was tensed to spring if someone came into the room.

Then, a few minutes later...there it was again. That creak. Evan's mouth twisted into a grin that vanished within a few seconds. Someone wasn't being too careful. Someone either didn't know the room...or was being too cocky to consider there might be squeaky floorboards here.

Then the doorknob twisted and the door inched open. Evan had to bite his tongue to keep back a yell of fury. It _was_ Dumbledore! _That complete __**bastard**__! _Evan thought, watching Dumbledore bend over the bed, something glittering held in a withered hand.

"I'm sorry, my boy," Dumbledore whispered. "But I can't have you being so rebellious and distrusting. You are Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world. You must not turn dark. This is for the greater good." He started to lower the crystal glass to Zephyr's lips.

It took only a second for Evan to slam the door shut and flip on the lights. "Good evening, Dumbledore," he said in a pleasant voice, pulling out his knife and flicking it open casually. "My, you're up late. May I ask why?"

Dumbledore's blue eyes were wide, and their twinkle was absent. Evan had a wild, momentary desire to laugh. He'd nearly given the old man a heart attack. The score: Evan one, Dumbledore zero. The glass was still in Dumbledore's hand, and it was full of some sky-blue liquid. Dumbledore snapped his fingers and in the next moment, it was gone.

"I asked you a question, old man!" Evan snarled, advancing with the blade pointed towards Dumbledore's jugular. "Answer me or I'll gut you like a fish!"

"Can I not visit the son of Lily and James Potter?" Dumbledore inquired smoothly, but Evan narrowed his eyes. _A lie,_ his instincts whispered, sending up little red flags in his mind. _He lies._

"In the middle of the night? _Zephyr_ is a young boy, Dumbledore - surely you know he needs his rest. Whatever you need to say to him can be said when he wakes up." Evan shifted, keeping the weapon pointed towards Dumbledore. He was pleased to see the old man move away, and soon he was between his brother and the old bastard. Exactly where he wanted - and needed - to be.

Dumbledore opened his mouth. Closed it again. Obviously he couldn't think of a response to this. _Strike two, you old jackass,_ Evan thought rather viciously. _One more and you're out. Better play your cards a little more carefully._

"Get out." The words came out in a low, enraged snarl. "Leave and don't even _think_ about coming back at this hour. And if you _do_...I'll paint the walls with your blood." He'd killed before. He would do it again, to protect his little brother.

Dumbledore turned, opened the door, and strode from the room. Evan followed as far as the bedroom door, to make sure the old man really left. When Dumbledore had gone, he slowly relaxed and clicked the knife closed. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a shaky sigh. Whatever Dumbledore had been about to try would have hurt Zephyr, he was sure of it.

_The kid was right to threaten him after all,_ Evan realized. _He kidnapped us, and now he's tried to hurt Zephyr. And he'll probably try again._ He reached up as far as his arms would go, clasping his hands together, and stretched, going up on tiptoe. He could feel the muscles and joints in his shoulders, legs and back popping as he relieved the tension in them.

Slowly, he stretched out his arms, fingers, toes, and neck as well. Dumbledore had come too close, far too close. Evan frowned thoughtfully, turning at a soft sound from Zephyr's bed.

"Evan?" the boy mumbled sleepily, trying to sit up. "I heard voices. Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine now," Evan replied softly, going to sit next to Zephyr. He reached out and put a hand on Zephyr's head. "Go back to sleep. I'll tell you what happened in the morning."

_I'll tell you everything,_ he added silently as Zephyr settled once more. _You need to know exactly what you're going to be dealing with, kiddo._

OoOoO

Evan waited far later than usual to wake his brother. When the clock read ten, he got up from his seat at the table, abandoning his almost-empty mug of tea. Five minutes later, he returned, carrying his still-sleepy brother. He sat him down and began to pour Zephyr's cereal and milk into a bowl. "Here, kid," he said, setting the meal in front of Zephyr. "Eat it, before it gets soggy." He moved to the fridge and added, "Orange juice?"

Zephyr gave a sleepy murmur of agreement, and Evan pulled the carton out. He set it on the counter and got a glass from the cabinet. He poured the orange liquid into it and put the carton back before setting the juice in front of his brother.

By then, Zephyr was looking a bit more awake. He picked up his juice and took a sip, shivering slightly as the cold drink slid down his throat.

"I'll never understand how you can drink that stuff so early," Evan teased lightly, ignoring the half-hearted glare he recieved by way of reply. Then he grew serious and leaned forward to put his forearms on the table. He met Zephyr's brilliantly green eyes directly. "You still want to know what happened last night?"

When Zephyr nodded, he sighed and described the events that had taken place. When he got to the point where Dumbledore had tried to force Zephyr to drink something, the younger male interrupted with a cry of rage.

"That complete jerk! How dare he? That ba - " He broke off and blushed deeply when Evan raised an eyebrow at him. Inwardly, the brown-haired man was deeply amused. So Zephyr was already picking up Evan's habit of berating people he didn't like...how very interesting. But outwardly, he played the role of the stern adult. "That...um...that...bad man?" Zephyr offered sheepishly. "Uh...sorry."

Biting back a laugh, Evan finished the tale, leaving out nothing. Remarkably, Zephyr didn't tell him off for threatening Dumbledore the way he did. Instead, those green eyes darkened with anger.

"He's gone too far," Zephyr muttered, swirling his orange juice. "I'm _not_ Harry Potter. If I was so important, my parents wouldn't have abandoned me. If the old moron wanted the best for me, he wouldn't be sneaking around, trying to give me stuff while I'm sleeping."

Privately, Evan had to agree. But Dumbledore had another chance yet. As the old saying went, three strikes and you're out. He hadn't yet hit the third one. But...something told Evan that this wasn't the last they'd hear of this. Somehow, he could sense that Dumbledore's third strike was coming. Maybe not soon, but definitely on the way.

"You done?" Evan asked. "I want to see how well you deal with a carefully steered conversation." _As Dumbledore is likely to draw you into more than one,_ he added to himself.

"I guess." Zephyr pushed aside his cereal bowl and fixed Evan with an intent gaze.

"Right." Evan planned out the conversation in his head for a minute, leaned forward a bit, and began, "So how have you been, my boy?" He made sure to imitate Dumbledore to the best of his ability. He saw a flicker of surprise in Zephyr's eyes before the boy straightened.

"I've been well. How have you been?"

Evan almost smiled. Almost. "I've been quite well, dear boy. You'll be glad to know I've found you a place to stay next summer, so you don't have to live with that ruffian."

Zephyr stiffened, narrowing his eyes. "_That ruffian,_ as you say, is my brother," he responded coldly. "And I'd rather live with him." _Not good so far,_ Evan thought cautiously. _He's fallen into the first trap. Anyone can see how much he cares for me - they'll press that advantage and use his emotions against him._

"Come now, child," Evan chided, acting the part of a grandfatherly figure almost as well as Dumbledore did. "Surely you'd rather be surrounded by people that love you, with a safe place to stay, than on the streets." There was a moment's pause, during which Evan could read the hesitation in Zephyr's face.

Evan dropped the illusion and gave his brother a fully serious look. "There's your first mistake," he said, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. "Your eyes betray your emotions and your expressions give away your thoughts. You need to learn to be guarded. Make it difficult for others to guess what you're thinking. Putting a fake expression on, such as looking uncertain when you're actually fully confident in your next move, can make all the difference in the world." He paused. "Also, you have to be careful. If someone knows we're brothers and they drag my name into a conversation, like I just demonstrated, they'll use your emotions against you. They'll press any advantage they can get. The trick is _not_ to show them what's going on in here." His forefinger tapped his temple lightly. "Shall we begin again?"

Zephyr nodded, and Evan was half proud, half amused to see him control his expression so it was completely blank. The older male chose a different direction to try to lead Zephyr in, and said, again imitating Dumbledore, "Your guardian's condition is no concern of yours. You do not need to see him."

"Why wouldn't it be my concern? I should be allowed to visit my brother, especially as he's injured," Zephyr responded. Evan couldn't help feeling proud that Zephyr was picking it up so quickly. But these were simple conversations he had planned for now, with the most basic traps. Dumbledore was a master - he'd had years of practice. And slowly, Evan would be escalating so that Zephyr would be able to sense even the most subtle of manipulations in a conversation.

"Ordinarily, you would be, dear boy. But he is _not_ your brother. Harry Potter has no siblings," Evan went on.

"He is my brother and I'm going to see him," the raven-haired child returned calmly. "I would like to see you stop me."

"I'm afraid I cannot let you visit him," Evan said.

"You _will_ let me visit him," Zephyr said firmly. "He is my brother. He is the one who saved me when I was just a baby. He is the only family I have. Let me by."

Evan pretended to be faintly frustrated. "You _cannot_ visit him."

"Give me a very good reason reason why I can't, and I won't," the boy replied. "You have one chance."

"He is not your brother. Your parents had only one child."

Zephyr shook his head. "Not good enough. He _is_ my brother. I _will_ visit him and you can't make me stay away from him."

Evan raised his hands and lightly applauded. "Very good," he murmured. "You've got the basics, at least." He glanced at the clock. Ten thirty-five. "Come on - we're going to spar now." He stood and headed to the living room, hearing the light padding of Zephyr's small feet behind him.

He spun quickly and lowered himself into a defensive crouch. "Attack me," he ordered. No sooner had he spoken than Zephyr was aiming a kick at his head. There was no time to block. He tucked his shoulder and rolled onto his back, and the blow just barely grazed him. "Good!" The kid was getting faster.

Evan sprang to his feet and aimed a kick of his own at Zephyr's ankles. He was pleased to see Zephyr was able to move in time to avoid it. But he blinked when he saw the black-haired male hadn't leaped backward like he usually did. Instead, Zephyr had leaped _forward_ and caught Evan off-guard, and knocked both of them to the floor. From there, it only took a few seconds for Zephyr to unsheathe his dagger and place the tip delicately on Evan's neck, right above a pulsing blue vein.

The brown-haired man had to grin. "Well done." Gently, he pushed the kid off and sat up. "You're getting faster. But..." His grin turned wolfish. "Now it's my turn." He got swiftly to his feet again, and instead of aiming a kick, he lifted one knee up to chest height, and in the next second had kicked outward at Zephyr's chest. The blow knocked the breath out of his little brother and made the child stagger. The moment's unbalance was all Evan needed. He reached forward and gave Zephyr a firm push.

_Thud._

The fall was heavy, but not enough to hurt. Just like Evan's kick. The older boy chuckled. "Time to kick it up a notch...no pun intended," he said as he extended a hand to pull Zephyr to his feet. "You'll have to be even faster now. And just like before...I won't go too easy on you."

Zephyr let out a good-natured groan as Evan hauled him up.

**-0-0-0-**

**A new chapter already? I must be losing my mind. XD But hey, you guys deserve it! Seriously, thanks for all the reviews. :3  
**


	10. X

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Dumbledore snarled and knocked his dish of lemon drops to the floor, where the glass bowl shattered with a sharp crack. _How_ had that ruffian known he was coming?! The initial scan of the rooms had revealed two motionless individuals, one older than the other. He'd assumed that they were both sleeping. So he hadn't been careful. He'd thought they wouldn't wake in time to stop him.

He'd been wrong. He'd been caught. And he'd been completely off-guard. Faced with that knife, he hadn't thought of disarming the child or banishing the blade with magic. No, he'd done the human thing - he'd frozen and his brain had gone into 'fight-or-flight' mode. He was lucky that he'd had the sense to banish the potion he'd tried to slip Harry.

But they'd be on their guard from now on. He was sure of that. He growled. He had less than two weeks before the child turned eleven. From there he had a month to convince the child that Hogwarts was the best place for him. But _how_ to do that? Harry's...guardian wasn't likely to let him near the boy.

Dumbledore needed someone the two hadn't yet encountered. Not a child - a child wouldn't be taken seriously.

Then it hit him: _Severus._

He grabbed his Floo powder and threw some into the fire. Time to contact his Potions Master.

OoOoO

"Let me get this straight," the greasy-haired man said half an hour after he'd been called to Dumbledore's office. "You want me to talk to these people and somehow convince them that it's in their best interest to let the child - who you have yet to prove to me is really Harry Potter - stay here and learn magic when we have no proof he is a wizard." He shifted, crossing his legs and frowning at the Headmaster. "That said, on the chance that he is just a Muggle, what are we going to do with him? You've kept him here for three days. We can't Obliviate him and send them back to where the came from - the chances we'd damage their minds permanently are too great."

Severus Snape watched as the Headmaster scowled darkly. Clearly, Dumbledore, master of manipulations that he was, had not thought of this. The old man was losing his edge. But was it really so surprising, given how agitated he'd been when he'd called the Potions Master here.

"Severus, I'm merely asking you to gain their trust."

"Fine," Severus snapped, rising from his seat. With a sudden smirk, he added, "I'd like to meet the man who pissed off the famously calm Albus Dumbledore anyway." Without waiting for an answer, he strode from the room.

OoOoO

When he reached the portrait Dumbledore had described, Severus knocked instead of giving the password and waited for an answer. He didn't have to wait long. Not a minute later, the door swung open and in front of him stood a young man. Wild chestnut-brown hair fell into his dark chocolate colored eyes. A long-sleeved sky blue shirt covered the upper half of his body, and torn, ragged jeans covered the lower.

"Can I help you?"

Severus forced himself not to sneer and said, "My name is Severus Snape. I am a professor at this school. May I come in? I'd like to meet the young man Dumbledore is ranting about."

He decided the young man looked more clever than most his age. The look in his eyes was calculating, yet carefully guarded. After a moment, the younger nodded and stood back from the door to let the professor in. He led Severus to a small kitchen and said shortly, "You wait here." Then he was gone again. Severus had barely two minutes to stare around idly before he returned, leading a small child.

When the two had seated themselves, the young man who had answered Severus' knock said, "If you've been talking to that old fart, then you probably know our names. But just so there aren't any mix-ups, I'll introduce us both. My name is Evan Ventulus. This little squirt over here is my brother, Zephyr Ventulus." The child looked up, and Severus had to breathe in deeply to control his shock. Those eyes...

_Lily's eyes._ And...in the center of his forehead...a scar shaped like a lightning bolt. _Harry Potter,_ he thought, unable to tear his gaze away. This kid had been missing ten years - everyone had assumed he'd been killed like his parents, James and Lily, and Voldemort. And yet here he was, alive and well. Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived.

Evan coughed lightly. "Before there are any annoying comments," he muttered, "I think I should mention that Zephyr got that scar in an accident. He fell during a raid and cut himself on a piece of broken glass."

Severus slumped back, confused. "He looks just like the Potter boy," he muttered. "He even has the scar...and yet...people are always getting injured." But somehow, he couldn't believe that a mark like that came from broken glass. It didn't make sense, unless it was pulled out jaggedly.

"Yes," Evan replied firmly. "They are." He brushed his long bangs out of his eyes and Severus caught a glinpse of a long, thin scar on his forehead above his eyebrow. "We lived on the streets, but then, I'm sure the old fart told you that. Very easy to get injured if you don't know what you're doing out there." He clasped his hands together and reached as far above his head as he could manage. "Hell, it's easy to get hurt even if you _do_ know what you're doing."

An odd smell came to Severus then. He blinked in surprise, then breathed in deeply, casually. No, he hadn't been mistaken. Lilacs and copper.

Since he was a small child, he'd been able to smell people's scents quite clearly. His own was scent was that of smoke. It was subtle to other people - they wouldn't really smell it unless they buried their faces in his clothes and inhaled. It was a both gift and a curse, because women often had sweet smells laced with the scents of their perfumes. It was nauseating, at best.

When he'd grown older, he'd learned to tone out the smells that he didn't want to notice. But if he looked directly at someone, their scent assaulted him. And as he was studying Evan curiously, he received a blast of the strange man's unique smell. Lilacs and copper, an unusual combination, though not unpleasant. And Zephyr...Severus turned his head, pretending to be studying the boy as he had Evan. The child smelled like vanilla. Severus glanced back at Evan and said, trying to sound bored, "Well, I must be going. No doubt Dumbledore's raging up a storm in his office."

He stood and left the rooms, trying not to appear too rushed. Lilacs and copper, and vanilla, he repeated to himself. Unusual, but it meant the two were good for each other, in his experience. Evan would be the shield to Zephyr, protecting the child's innocence until the boy was ready to face the world. And the older obviously cared deeply for his little brother.

Severus tried, however, not to think of how similar Zephyr's scent was to Lily's. They'd both smelled like vanilla, a scent he'd loved when he was around her. Now...it brought back only painful memories.

Memories of how a switch of sides had led to the deaths of Lily and James Potter.


	11. XI

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Evan ran a hand through Zephyr's unruly black hair one Severus had gone. The child leaned into the touch slightly, and Evan couldn't help the small half-smile that quirked one corner of his mouth. Zephyr had always melted when his hair was played with, even before he could properly talk. The small smile vanished slowly, to be replaced with the barest of frowns. Evan supposed it came from being abandoned so young. Zephyr would take comfort from any adult figure, as he'd never known his parents and whoever he'd been trusted with had apparently dumped him and split the first chance they'd got.

Fucking abusive, they probably were. In a way, Evan was _glad_ that Zephyr had been abandoned. He could've suffered a lot worse if he'd been brought up by the wrong sort of people...

The pair was silent for a while, apart from Evan's soft humming. Zephyr sighed contentedly, closing his eyes. After another minute, he murmured in slightly drowsy tones, "What are you humming?"

"Reckless Youth," Evan responded. Peeking up at him with one eye, Zephyr noticed the teen was looking a bit distracted. Was he lost in thought?

"Will you sing it for me?"

"It's a rock song, Zephyr," Evan replied, looking down at him. "I don't think you'd like it much."

"I liked that other song you sang," Zephyr argued, then widened both eyes in a pleading expression. "_Please_, Evan?"

"You're impossible," Evan grumbled. He sighed, then started singing softly, _"Don't let emotion stop you. Don't start to hesitate. Don't let the fear you have inside you start to resonate. Stop buying lies they sell you. Stop wasting all our time. Start looking for the opportunity for us to shine. If you're afraid to fall, you'll never make the climb."_ His voice gained confidence as he went on to the chorus, and Zephyr felt the surprise in his expression change to awe. _"We are the fearless ones, we are the loaded guns with nothing left to lose. We are the reckless youth! We are the chosen ones, we'll never have to run. There's nothing left to lose. We are the reckless youth!" _He paused for a moment, then continued, _"Let your fear motivate you, don't let it get you down! You've got to get up, hold your head up high. It may be the only chance we've got for us to save the day. No time to doubt it now, before it gets too late. We've got to make our move, 'cause we're the reckless youth!"_

After a few seconds, Zephyr chirped, "You're still a great singer." Then the child bounded from the room grinning from ear to ear.

Evan couldn't help staring after him with wide brown eyes. Then he chuckled quietly. "Little sneak," he muttered. "If he keeps that up before long he'll have me singing him to sleep." _If only there was a piano somewhere in here,_ he added silently, wistfully. He had a few fleeting but vivid memories of playing beside his mother as a small child, his fingers ghosting over the white keys in imitation of hers. Piano music was some of the most beautiful and soothing to be found. Gently mixed with the right nature sounds - for example, ocean waves or rain, perhaps even songbirds - it could send even an person who had trouble sleeping well like himself deep, dreamless sleep.

Almost subconsciously, his fingers began to tap out a rhythm that would have been a soft, soothing melody, had he music to put to the notes. After a minute he stopped with a sigh, taking care to remember the pattern in case he did find a piano eventually, and began to wonder what Zephyr had gotten up to.

OoOoO

"Whoa...this is so cool!" Zephyr murmured, his hand running lightly over the fine deep brown wood and his fingertips just barely ghosting over the black and white bars. Who would've thought that the extra door in Evan's bedroom would lead to _this_! He tapped a few of the bars and nearly bounced up and down in excitement when they produced high, sweet sounds. "Evan! Evan, come and see what I've found!" he called, unable to keep his excitement from his voice.

"What is it?" Evan asked, appearing in the doorway and leaning against it casually. "An indoor swimming pool?" His eyes passed over Zephyr and came to rest on the strange instrument. The shock and then awe that passed over Evan's face made Zephyr wonder if he knew what this was.

"Good gods," the older gasped out, suddenly looking as if he was relying on the door frame for support. He was clutching it in a death grip, his knuckles pale white. "Surely, that's not..." Evan staggered forward until he was next to Zephyr, who was watching his older brother with concern. The brown-haired man reached forward shakily and pressed a few of the bars in some sort of order. A lovely sound filled the air and faded out as Evan dropped his hand.

"That's a piano," Evan murmured. Then he chuckled quietly. "And I thought this was just another closet." In fact, there was another door on the other side of the room, but who knew where that one would lead? Best to leave it until Evan wasn't so...shaky, Zephyr decided. But what his brother said next completely floored Zephyr.

"Maybe..." Evan hesitated and looked back at the piano. "Maybe there is such a thing as magic after all. Maybe these rooms hold everything we need and everything we long for the most." He grinned suddenly, if a bit self-mockingly. "Bet if we poked around in here we'd find a chessboard." But he clearly wasn't too hopeful of that.

"Bet if we poked around we'd get our fingers burned," Zephyr muttered, not really intending Evan to hear. But from the older's soft hum, he'd guess that Evan agreed with him.

"No point losing sleep over it, I guess," Evan sighed after a moment. "It must've always been here. Come on - there's a fighting move I wanted to teach you that I think you'll find comes in handy."

He led the way out of the room and didn't look back. But Zephyr took one last peek over his shoulder. Evan had seemed to long to play the piano. Did he know how? Would he teach Zephyr?

The boy turned, opening his mouth to ask, when he saw the closed off expression on Evan's face. Okay...ask later, then. Instead, he said, "What did you want to show me?"

"I wanted to show you a move that's saved my life a few times," Evan responded quietly. He shifted his stance to his feet were shoulder-width apart and tensed his shoulders. "Attack me."

Zephyr did so, running forward and aiming a kick. Evan blocked and aimed a punch, which Zephyr quickly ducked. The continued for a few minutes before Evan raised his arms defensively and called out, "I give!"

Puzzled, Zephyr simply stared. He suddenly realized his mistake - though just a moment before Evan gave him a feral grin and tackled him with a playful growl. He went down with a yelp and was firmly yet gently pinned not two seconds later. "That's saved your life?" he asked, a bit breathlessly. "Wouldn't more experienced fighters see it coming?"

"No, and that's the beauty of it," Evan replied, letting his little brother up. "Most of them use their brute strength and some flashy knives to beat people up. They're not used to fighting someone who uses his brain rather than his muscles. They let their guard down for just a moment, and then this knife" - he pulled out his switchblade and flicked it open to show Zephyr his favorite knife - "finds a home between their ribs. Or in their stomach. Whichever I hit first." He smiled gently to show Zephyr he was joking.

"Now, do you think you can catch _me_ with that?" he challenged, taking up a defensive stance. "Attack me!"

Zephyr knew he wasn't ready to try. He needed to get a bit faster and put on a bit more muscle before he could catch a fighter like Evan with a trick like that - especially as Evan had come up with it and would be expecting it. Instead, he shifted to the left and tried the keep his eyes _to_ the left, so they wouldn't betray where he was really aiming. But Evan must have guessed what he was doing, because as Zephyr moved left, he moved right and took down the smaller from the side. Zephyr, who hadn't been expecting it, went down hard.

"Ow..." He could expect a new bruise, he believed.

"Alright?" Evan asked softly, letting him up. The older was definitely amused.

"Yeah," Zephyr muttered, getting gingerly to his feet.

"Next time," Evan muttered, clearly intending Zephyr to hear, "try something I _don't_ expect." He chuckled and added, "You want to keep going or take a break and continue later?" It was only about noon. They had the rest of the day.

"Let's take a short break. Will you make hot chocolate?"

The older blinked, clearly startled. Then he gave a half-smile. "With milk or water?"

"Milk," Zephyr responded, following Evan to the kitchen. Hot chocolate...yum.


	12. XII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

As Evan began counting down the days to July thirty-first, he found that Zephyr was getting more and more restless. Before the two knew it, they'd been there for fully a week. A week of being locked up in this hellhole. And just another week to Zephyr's birthday.

Evan sighed and ran a hand through his wild brown hair, ignoring the few strands that flopped forward to cover part of his face. He was sprawled on the couch, staring up at the stone ceiling. In a word, he was bored. But it wasn't the 'I really don't feel like doing anything' bored. It was more of the 'I honestly can't think of anything to do' bored. If they weren't in an unfamiliar place with an obviously deranged old man, he'd try to walk off the feeling.

He could tell it was affecting the kid, too. But instead of flopping down anywhere like Evan had taken to doing, Zephyr would pace until Evan told him to stop. The older got the feeling that eventually, Zephyr would wear a hole in the carpet. Speaking of which...

"Kid, give it a rest," he said for the fourth time that day. The agitated sounds of Zephyr's movement stopped before the child leaned over the back of the couch to look down at him. Evan stared back with a blank expression, sure his brown eyes were as dull as he felt at the moment. "What?"

"I want to be outside," Zephyr nearly whined. "I'm getting...inside-a-phobia here!"

In spite of himself, Evan chuckled. "You mean claustrophobia. And I wouldn't advise going wandering around an unfamiliar place."

"Come on, Evan! You're just as bored as I am and you know it," Zephyr pleaded, his vibrantly green eyes going wide. "Please?"

The older rolled his eyes. "Fine then," he muttered. "But I'm coming with you. If you manage to get outside, I _really_ need to stretch my legs." He sat up and got off the couch, stretching as he did so.

OoOoO

"Ha! I _told_ you I could find the way out, Evan!" The boy's tone made Evan roll his eyes good-naturedly. Zephyr _had_ done pretty well. They'd only gotten completely lost once or twice.

Evan stretched from toes to fingertips, then took off running. Not just running, but all-out sprinting. Oh, how he'd _missed_ this! The sunlight, the fresh air, the breeze in his face...He knew Zephyr was just a few feet behind him. After a minute, he skidded to a halt, his heart drumming against his ribcage, his chest heaving, and feeling more _alive_ than he had in the entire week they'd been here. He was tackled by a grinning Zephyr and they both went down.

"Alright, let me up, you great lump," he said, pushing Zephyr off and sitting up. "Go enjoy yourself. Explore, but don't get lost. I'll be here."

"Okay." Zephyr took off again, leaving his brother to stare after him with an amused grin.

OoOoO

After a few minutes of running, Zephyr flopped down on the grass. He couldn't quite keep the smile off his face. Somehow, the way Evan's chocolate brown eyes had lit up when he'd found the way out had made everything worth it.

_"Big giant two-legged monsters running everywhere, making noise, disturbing my sunbathing. If I were full-grown I would show them a thing or two..."_

The mutterings made Zephyr sit upright quickly. "Hello?" he asked quietly. There was a pause.

_"It speaks the tongue of serpents! How unusual...should I find mother, tell her I have found a Speaker?"_

Now he could see who...or rather what was talking. It was a small, slender black snake with red markings like flame and bright yellow eyes. It was probably three feet long, and it had said it wasn't full-grown yet. How big would it get, then? And how in the heck could he understand it?

"I'm Zephyr. What's your name, little snake?" he asked, offering it a hand. Its black forked tongue brushed lightly over his fingertips.

_"I have no name, little speaker,"_ the snake replied. _"Perhaps you would like to name me?"_

"Sure." Zephyr paused to consider. "Are you male or female?" He honestly couldn't tell. He thought it sounded like a girl's voice, but then it could also be a very young male.

_"I am female."_

"Okay then. How about Aylen?" Zephyr had to hide a shiver when the snake crawled up his arm and settled herself around his neck. Her scales were cool against his warm skin, and her weight on his neck felt right somehow.

_"I like it,"_ the newly named Aylen hissed softly. _"Now tell me about yourself, little speaker. I saw you with the big human. Is he your nest mate?"_

Zephyr started back towards Evan, being careful not to jostle his new friend. "He's my brother, if that's what you mean, but we're not really family. I was abandoned and left to die when I was just a baby. He found me and raised me. I'm ten years old now, almost eleven."

_"Whoever abandoned you is worthless,"_ Aylen hissed, anger laced into her tone. _"Leaving a hatchling to die! It is an outrage! May they be punished for eternity by the serpent god Deathwood when the life leaves their bodies!"_

"...Anyway," Zephyr went on, not sure whether to be disturbed or pleased at this. "How old are you, Aylen?"

_"Only a season. I was hatched when leaf-time was just beginning. My nest mates and I just left our mother a few days ago. She was sad to let us go, but such is the way of the wood. If you cannot leave your birth-den, you will not survive for long."_

"I wish I could have met your mother."

_"I have no doubt she would have liked you, little speaker. Is the human over there your nest mate?"_

"Yes, Aylen. That's him." He waved to the person leaning against a tree beside the large lake. "Hey! Evan! Come and see the snake I found!"

Evan turned, clearly startled. "A snake, Zephyr? Is that safe?" he called back, pushing off the tree to stand upright as Zephyr approached.

"Probably not, but she hasn't bitten me yet." As Zephyr spoke, Aylen poked her head over the collar of his shirt and stared at Evan curiously. "I named her Aylen. Can I keep her?"

Evan gave the snake an uncertain look. "It...she...hasn't bitten you yet, you said?" Tentatively, he held out a hand to the snake. Her tongue flickered out a couple of times as she tasted his scent, then hissed softly to Zephyr, _"Tell him that I like him and I won't bite him or his nest mate."_

Zephyr smiled and said, "I think she likes you. And if she hasn't bitten me, she probably won't bite you." Somehow, he knew he had to keep the fact that he could speak to snakes a closely guarded secret until Evan was ready to hear the whole story.

"Well...okay," Evan relented. "Fine. But she's not to go wandering outside our rooms unless she's with you. And if she bites one of us, she's out. You hear me?"

"Yes, Evan," Zephyr said. "I understand." He gently brushed his fingers over Aylen's cool head scales. He understood perfectly.

"Let's head inside, then," Evan muttered, glancing at the snake and away again. "It's getting a bit chilly. And no doubt Dumbledore will tear the place apart searching for us if we're not back by sundown." With a start, Zephyr realized Evan hadn't just been watching the lake. He'd been watching the sun slowly sink toward the horizon.

_"Will there be mice where we're going?"_ Aylen asked when she felt Zephyr beginning to walk again. _"I love mice."_

Zephyr glanced at Evan to make sure he wasn't within earshot and murmured, "I don't think so. But you can come with me when I go to get my school things tomorrow and we'll find a store that sells snakes and snake food. Okay?"

_"That is fine, little speaker. I will trust you to keep your word."_

Zephyr smiled and walked a bit faster to catch up with his brother. Suddenly staying here seemed a little bit okay. But not that much.


	13. XIII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

"...Zephyr," Evan muttered after fifteen minutes of following the little boy and seeing the same portraits and suits of armor for the fourth time. "Do you have any idea where we are?"

"Well, no. But it all looks different from this direction!" the child added defensively, giving Evan a sheepish grin. "Don't worry. We'll get there soon enou - "

"We've been going in _circles_!" Evan snapped. His patience was finally beginning to wear thin. Ordinarily, he'd be regretting speaking so harshly by now, but he could feel a blindingly painful headache beginning to make itself known. "Circles, Zephyr! Ask someone for directions!" He lowered his head as another wave of pain hit him. With a groan, he clutched at his skull, trying to ease the pain.

"Evan! Are you alright?" Zephyr asked, his voice beginning to sound panicked.

"I'm...fi - " He broke off with a cry and sank to his knees, feeling his fingernails digging into his scalp. Yet that pain was hardly anything compared to the searing, pounding agony beating away at the inside of his head.

"You're not fine! I'm going to find help!"

Evan whimpered, feeling himself shaking violently. _Oh, make it stop! Make it stop! I'll do anything! Just make it GO AWAY!_ he cried out mentally - before he finally gave and let out a bloodcurdling scream of pure unadulterated _pain_.

_**Just give in! Give in to me, foolish Muggle! Give in! Give in!**_

"N-n-no," he gasped out, feeling blood tricking from his mouth. He must've bitten clean through his lip at some point. "I...I-I won't...submit!"

_**Stop resisting! It will be over in a few minutes if you stop fighting! Give in!**_

"Get out of my head!" Evan snarled, dropping his hands to support himself as he began falling forward. He recognised that voice now. That meddling old fool! Dirty bastard! Motherfu -

He hissed in pain and broke off of his silent raging as another attack hit him full-force.

_**Give in! I will stop the pain if you just give in!**_

_NEVER!_ With a massive effort, Evan pushed himself back to his knees and slowly began to stagger upright. _My mind is not your playground, old man! Get out! OUT!_ He heard something like a mental scream of rage before the agony began to fade. He shakily got to his feet, using the wall for support. How long had passed since he'd collapsed? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Why wasn't Zephyr back?

"Evan!" Ah, there he was. And behind him...Severus Snape. Evan's mouth twisted wryly as he reached up to wipe some of the blood from his chin. How perfect.

"Took you long enough, brat," Evan muttered, relieved to see him. He winced as his head gave a sharp twinge of pain, though it wasn't nearly as bad as before, for which he was he was insanely relieved, almost to the point of being delirious.

"I don't know what happened," Zephyr was saying to Severus as they approached. He sounded scared. "One minute he was snipping at me because I got us lost and the next he was on the floor holding his head like it really hurt!"

Severus pulled out some sort of oddly polished stick and pointed it at Evan, muttering a few unfamiliar words. A wave of warmth, then cold washed over Evan, and he shivered in spite of himself as the area around him lit up with a yellowish light that seemed to be coming from the stick.

"It looks like he's fine," the professor said after a moment. "You had a headache?" he added to Evan. "On a scale of one to ten, how bad would you say it was?"

"Probably a fifteen," Evan murmured. "It felt like my head was splitting in two from the inside. And I..." He hesitated. "You'll both think I'm crazy, but I...I heard a voice. In my head, I mean. It kept telling me to give in, over and over. Like there was someone invading my mind..." He trailed off at the worried look Zephyr gave him. "I knew you'd think I was crazy."

"No. You're not crazy." Severus Snape looked grim as he spoke. Well...grimmer than usual. "Someone _was_ trying to break your mind." The professor tipped his head to one side and have Evan an unreadable look through fathomless black eyes. "Do you need something for the pain, Mr. Ventulus?"

Evan blinked, somewhat surprised. "Just...just Evan is fine, sir. And no thank you. Pain is your body's natural defense. It lets you know when something isn't as it should be. If I dull it I won't know if whoever was trying to break into my mind did any serious damage."

Severus nodded. "Smart kid," he said quietly, so quietly Evan wondered if he was really meant to hear. "As for where your rooms are...if you head straight down this hallway, take the first right you come to, go straight and then take the second left, you'll be there."

Evan stared for a moment, then half-smiled. "Thank you." He pushed himself fully upright and gestured to Zephyr to follow.

"Evan," Severus called after them. Chocolate met obsidian for a few moments. "If this happens again, come find me. I'll be in the dungeons, across from the Great Hall. It's not far from the main doors." Then the professor turned and walked away.

Evan sighed and began to follow the man's instructions. Straight, first right...Zephyr was unusually quiet, but then, maybe that was to be expected. And whispers followed them, from the portraits that turned to stare. The young man shivered. That...was creepy. Second left...ah, there it was!

"Lapis lazuli," Evan said, and stepped into the rooms when the portrait swung open.

"I never thought I'd say this," Zephyr muttered, "but it's good to be back." Evan couldn't help but agree.

"Better remember the way," he commented, somewhat amused. "we don't want to get lost again." He easily dodged the smack Zephyr aimed at him and went to the kitchen to make a strong cup of tea. He desperately needed it.


	14. XIV

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

It was a bloodcurdling scream that snapped Evan out of his light doze at ten after midnight. He was awake instantly, on his feet, switchblade in hand. Really, this was getting so damned _annoying_! Even he needed rest in a while, he wasn't a freaking robot!

But it wasn't the meddling old fart this time. No, Zephyr was sitting bolt upright in bed, his green eyes very wide, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath. Evan recognized the after-effects of a very bad nightmare and swiftly put away his knife. He moved to the child, sat on his bed, and lifted him into his lap, gently rocking. "Easy, Zephyr. Steady...it's alright. Everything's fine." He continued talking in this fashion until the boy had calmed enough to stop hyperventilating.

"Evan...standing over me...a man with a knife! A huge knife! I saw...he was...he was going to kill me!"

Zephyr began to cry and buried his face in Evan's shirt.

The older sighed and held his little brother tighter, trying to comfort him. "Hush now. It was just a dream." _How many times,_ he wondered, _have I myself woken up just like that with no one around to take away the agonizing memories?_ His eyes narrowed a bit, giving the wall a somewhat murderous look. _Far too many. Those recollections disturb what little sleep I do get. I...I'm almost afraid of dreaming now...I'm almost afraid of what the next day will bring._

And he had right to be. The scars covering his body were brutal reminders. Even when he tried to forget about them and live a normal life, they were there, etched into his flesh. After a moment, he realized Zephyr had dozed back off and gently settled the child back into the bed.

For just a moment, he sat back, watching Zephyr's serene expression and the way his chest moved as he breathed. For that small amount of time, he allowed himself to wonder if his life would've been easier if he'd had a normal childhood. Then he tore himself away with a small shake of the head and stood to leave the room.

"Dreaming of what I might have had," Evan whispered so quietly he barely heard himself, "...is for fools. People who lead miserable lives look back and dream of what might have been if they'd done something different. I am no such fool. I will not stoop so low. I am alive. I am breathing. I am lucky enough to have survived as long as I have. Some never even see the light of day. Some are so well cared for, they know not what to do with themselves. I am one of the lucky ones. And I will not ruin that now by dreaming of things that were never meant to happen and will never happen." So saying, he left the silent room and the sleeping child.

OoOoO

When Zephyr woke, it was gradually, without aid. When he first blinked open his eyes to see sunlight, he groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers over his head. Then his eyes snapped open and he sat bolt upright. Sunlight. Coming through at that angle, it was probably close to nine in the morning. Evan would normally have woken him before now.

Where was his brother?

Zephyr kicked off the blankets and scrambled out of bed, only to lose his balance and fall with a heavy _thump._ He regained his feet and tore from his room, gazing wildly around and wondering where to start searching. Then he caught the scent of peanut butter. Puzzled, he stopped and turned towards the kitchen. Evan was sitting at the table, watching him with a faintly amused expression. The chestnut-haired man was leaning over the table, resting on one forearm, his free hand holding a piece of half-eaten toast. There was a lightly steaming mug in front of him.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," Evan greeted somewhat sarcastically. "I wondered when you'd get up."

"Why didn't you wake me?" Zephyr demanded, walking over and taking a seat as Evan set down his breakfast and got up.

"Your nightmare," Evan responded with a shrug, pulling Zephyr's usual cereal and a bowl from the cupboard. "I figured after waking up in the middle of the night, you'd want a little longer to sleep. You want milk this time?" he added as he pulled open the fridge.

"Yeah, sure," Zephyr replied. He wasn't like most kids. Some days he wanted milk in his cereal, sometimes he didn't. "And orange juice."

"Would you ever want anything else to drink in the morning?" Evan teased lightly, taking out the juice as well.

"Of course not!"

"Didn't think so," his brother muttered, rolling his eyes as he poured the milk into the bowl first, then the cereal and set that on the table. He pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it with orange juice, handed that to Zephyr, and put the milk, juice and cereal away. Then he settled across from the child to finish off his tea and toast. He never had more than a piece of toast and a mug of tea for breakfast. Because, as he knew very well, his stomach was only about as big as his tightly closed fist. He was full long before he knew he was, as the walls of the stomach were like elastic. He'd learned a lot when he used to go into libraries and read until it was closing time. May not have understood it all then, but he did now.

As soon as he drained his mug, he stood, stretched, and carried his dishes to the sink before he returned to his chair to think for a while. He was relaxed, more so than usual. He didn't plan on telling Zephyr he'd gone down to the lake - that huge, glittering black lake they'd seen yesterday - to watch the sunrise after playing the piano for a while. It had been a perfect setting - the lake below with trees and mountains far in the distance, a chilly breeze smelling of the wild places of the night, and the sky just beginning to turn pale gray. It had drained the tension from his muscles like nothing else could. Finally, after days of stress, he'd gotten a moment of complete peace and tranquility.

"Hello, Earth to Evan. Come in, big brother." Small knuckles lightly tapped the side of his skull. His chocolate brown eyes found vibrant green and he offered a puzzled look.

"You were off in your own world. I asked you if we were going to spar today," Zephyr said.

"I suppose." Evan shrugged. "Did you want to get started right away?"

"No, I wanted to lounge around for a bit. Can we go outside? Please?"

"It's a bit early for that," Evan pointed out. "It'll be kind of chilly. And there'll be dew on the grass."

"We have blankets thin enough to bring outside," Zephyr argued. "Come on, Evan! Please can we?"

Evan sighed. "I suppose..." In his mind he was tracing the route back in his head. "Do you want to bring Aylen?"

Zephyr's eyes lit up. "Can I?"

"Knock yourself out. But keep in mind that Professor Snape will be here at two to bring you to get your school things." He wasn't stupid. He knew that Zephyr would be attending school here. He just hoped...it wasn't a mistake.

The child tore off, heading for where the snake usually dozed.

The older male groaned and got to his feet. "That kid will be the death of me..." he muttered. But this was a good opportunity to clear his head - and start thinking of ways he could get to Albus Dumbledore.

_For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out at the old ball game,_ Evan sang quietly and rather sadistically in his head, allowing a grin to appear on his face for a few seconds. The old man had better _pray_ he didn't run into Evan anytime soon. And he'd better hope the gods were on his side.

OoOoO

Albus Dumbledore had paced his office all night after his attempt on Evan's mind. Now he sat, mentally and physically tired out. He'd screwed up, not once, not twice, but three times now. The most mistakes he'd made in many, many years. And he'd seen how willing the child's guardian had been to kill to protect Harry.

Maybe he should've done this differently. Maybe if he had, he wouldn't be in the deep shit he was in now.

Because he had no doubt he _was_ in deep shit. He wasn't dealing with wizards. He wasn't dealing with his own kind, who he could dispose of with little regret, who he could treat as pawns in a game and not give a damn. No, he was dealing with the sort he'd always pledged to protect from Dark wizards. He was dealing with the kind of people he'd defended from the wizard society for a very long time.

He couldn't kill the boy's guardian and just walk away. So...how to get rid of a bothersome fly, and make it seem like an accident?

Dumbledore's eyes glittered with insanity. He had to think of a way, and fast. Or he could find himself at the receiving end of that Muggle's lethal-looking knife. That ruffian had lived on the streets - he'd probably killed before, whether intentionally or not. And his threats were not to be taken lightly - he was dead serious. He _would_ kill anyone who stood between the child he called Zephyr and himself.

But as the saying went, three strikes and you're out. Dumbledore had used his last chance up. The boy's guardian wouldn't let him within fifteen feet of the boy.

The leader of the Light snarled and snatched his newly repaired candy dish. He would _not_ be bested by a Muggle!

In a fit of rage, he hurled the dish across the room. It struck the wall and shattered into millions of tiny pieces.

Like Albus Dumbledore's mind.


	15. XV

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

"His hatred is stronger now than ever before," the young man commented, bending over his desk to concentrate on the letter he'd received, while the clear orb full of white smoke glowed gently in front of him. Albus Dumbledore wanted him to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, did he? He smiled in a twisted sort of way. Of course he did. The man had known that for a while now. A little birdie had told him so.

"Of course it is," the raspy voice belonging to his constant companion said. "What else would you have expected? He hasn't had an easy life, and now that daft old man has messed with the only brother he has. Of course he will want revenge."

There was a murmur of agreement and then silence as the younger sat back to wait and watch.

OoOoO

_"Little speaker,"_ Aylen hissed quietly to Zephyr as he waded into the lake. The cool water and the silt felt nice on his bare feet. _"I feel I must talk to you. Is your nest mate far enough away where we won't be heard?"_

Zephyr cast a look over his shoulder. Evan had climbed to a low branch of the tree he'd stood by the first time they'd come out here. Zephyr spared a moment to be jealous of his brother's tallness before he noticed that Evan had, apparently, slipped into a light doze. He looked so...peaceful and relaxed for once. Zephyr felt his lips twitch into a fond smile. Evan deserved the rest. He always looked so tired...

"He won't hear," he murmured. "What did you need to say?"

_"I think you need to know this, koishii.* You need to listen."_ Aylen looked up at him seriously. _"May we sit?"_

"Of course," Zephyr replied, making his way back to the bank and sitting on the blanket he and Evan had brought out. Aylen slithered from where she was draped lazily over his shoulders to settle in his lap, where she could raise her head to meet his eyes directly.

_"Before I start, I want you to know you're a very special child. Even compared to the others who will show up come leaf-fall and earthsleep. You are a speaker. You can understand the tongue of serpents and humans alike."_ She cocked her beautiful black and red head. _"There has not been such a talent since the Guardian met her tamer..._

_"Realize, little one, that though you might be looked upon badly by the other special children, what you have is a gift."_ Aylen flicked out her tongue, pausing as she considered what to say. _"Now...let us start at the beginning. You know where you are, yes?"_

"Um...I know I'm at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry..." Zephyr said hesitantly. "But other than that..." he gave a helpless shrug.

_"Alright then. Please, koishii, try to understand what I am about to tell you. This place trains children - special children as I said before - to use magic."_

"Magic? But - I mean - it isn't...real, right?"

_"Yes it is, little speaker. Mother has told me and my nest mates many times of what her former master has done with a stick he called a 'wand'."_ Her bright yellow eyes seemed to glow as she added in low, awed tones, _"He was the Guardian's tamer. Over fifty years ago he was her tamer, and when he had to leave the Guardian he swore he'd be back one day. He swore he'd free her from her prison, once he was strong enough."_ She let out a soft, excited hiss. _"Then he rescued my mother, very badly treated she was before he found her. Her old master didn't feed her well enough and she was starving. He promised he'd take her away and he did. Her old master never broke a promise, never. He tried so hard to free the Guardian, but she told him she was willing to wait. So he put her to sleep, until the day he would return with the knowledge of how to free her."_ Then she looked away. _"But then my mother's master told her he was going to visit some friends. He...didn't come back. She does not think he is dead, though...rather that he is...resting."_

"I...see," Zephyr said hesitantly. He wasn't quite sure what this had to do with Hogwarts, but he'd go with it until Aylen remembered what she'd been talking about first.

_"Oh! My apologies, koishii. I was explaining about magic. Now, there are three types of magic - Light, Neutral, and Dark. Most children like you have Neutral magic. Their aura is silvery-gray, and they can manage most spells, Dark, Light, or Neutral without much trouble. Then you have the more rare Dark magic wielders. There are usually more of them than Light wielders, though. The people who can use Dark magic can usually do Neutral spells without too much strain, and excel at Dark spells, yet more often than not, they can't manage Light spells. Or, if they can, the spells are weaker than usual and they exhaust themselves. Their aura can be dark gray or black, depending on their magical strength."_ Aylen slithered up his arm, to curl more comfortably around his neck. _"And then you have your Light spellcasters. Their aura is usually very light gray or pure white. Usually, Dark spells are beyond them, and Neutral spells are a struggle."_

"Can you see the...auras...or has your mother told you all of this?" Zephyr asked, his interest captured by his friend's words.

_"I can see them myself, and I have watched students since I was a week-old hatchling,"_ Aylen replied. _"Now, besides the main three, you have several Wild Powers - humans call them Elementals. Only a few people can use this power, and they are born once every two hundred years. Usually around the same area and the same time. The Fire Elemental - the one who can call fire to his or her will, especially when they are angry. The Water Elemental, the one who can control both water and ice. The Air Elemental, who can command the weather as he or she likes. The Earth Elemental, who controls earth and plants as they please. The Darkness Elemental, who can meld with shadows and remain unnoticed until he or she wants to be seen. And the Light Elemental, which may sound the same as being a Light wizard, but in fact it isn't. The Light Elemental can call back spirits of those who have gone before."_

"How cool!" Zephyr gasped. "Do you know what color their auras are, or...?"

_"I have not seen, but I have heard,"_ Aylen hissed quietly. _"Fire is burning, fiery red. Water is deep blue. Air is blue-green. Earth is dark green. Darkness is deep violet. Light is ice-blue." _She paused, flicking out her tongue to taste the air. _"Your nest mate is waking up. We will talk more when we are alone again."_

Zephyr turned in time to see Evan leap lightly from his branch to the ground. "Okay, Aylen," he murmured, getting up to meet his brother.

"Let's head in, Zephyr," Evan said, bending to collect the blanket. "Professor Snape will be looking for you soon. I won't be going with you, so stay close to him. Remember to get food for Aylen. And..." He hesitated, then wrapped Zephyr in a one-armed hug. "Have fun, little brother."

Zephyr blinked, startled. Then he grinned and hugged the older back, relishing in the warmth. "I will, Evan."

As the brothers headed up to the castle, Aylen hissed softly, _"Mice, little speaker. Mice."_

**-0-0-0-**

*** koishii - Japanese for dear, beloved, or darling  
**


	16. XVI

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Evan stood watching as Severus led his little brother away, Aylen wrapped snugly around Zephyr's neck and child and professor talking quietly about how the boy had come by his companion. He leaned against the doorway to their rooms, crossing his arms over his chest and just watching until he couldn't see them anymore. He had this time to himself now. So...what was a bored man who had hours of free time and plans for revenge on a certain mad old coot to do?

He drew back his lips from his teeth in something that wasn't quite a smile. More like a savage grimace. Dumbledore, mad as he was, was extremely intelligent. He'd _have_ to be, to be so manipulative. So a direct assault wouldn't work. Nor would attempting to get close and then strike. No doubt, now that the old man knew Evan always carried his switchblade, Dumbledore would be more cautious and expecting a return strike.

Evan growled low in his throat and pushed off the wall to retreat into the rooms, shutting the portrait behind him with a soft click. His fingers twitched slightly, itching to play the piano to soothe his nerves and temper. He resisted the urge. Instead, he pulled off his shirt and began a series of stretches designed to ease the tension in his muscles.

He couldn't afford to be caught off-guard. No...a mistake like that was enough to mark the end of his life. So he would keep relaxed. If he was high-strung and likely to snap at the smallest thing, he wouldn't live to see another day.

That much, he was absolutely sure of.

When he'd finished his stretches, he moved to make a cup of tea, and on the way there, he snagged a pad of paper off the top of the fridge. Zephyr had never seen this - Evan would have known right away if he had. As he left it on the kitchen table, the cover flipped open, as it was normally prone to doing. Evan made a face at it and ignored what was on the first page. He'd seen it a hundred times, gone over it again and again, and the paper was worn thin from the number of times he'd seen something he didn't like on it after he'd sketched it out and erased it.

This was why he was considered dangerous to be around. His pad of paper was full of little plans he'd made, crossed out, erased, or highlighted. Normally, he'd used it to get the better of street gangs that were causing him trouble. He'd scout out their base, find out their fighting strategy, and sometimes sit for _days_ as he planned his own strikes.

Now, however, he was bringing it out for a different reason. He was going to be taking notes on the resident madman, to find out if there were any lines Albus Dumbledore wouldn't cross. And then - well, then, Evan thought with a soft chuckle, the fun part began. He'd likely be putting his life on the line to find out the Headmaster's day-to-day lifestyle.

And as Evan set down his steaming mug of tea and began to write down what he knew, he sang, "_Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you...for you. Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you. As years go by, I race the clock with you, but if you died right now, you know that I'd die too...I'd die too. You remind me of the times when I knew who I was, but still the second hand will catch us, like it always does. We make the same mistakes, I'll take a fall for you. I hope you need this now, cause I still do! Until the day I die..._"

Oh how he missed her, his beloved, sweet Amanda...that song reminded him of the times when she'd playfully try to get him to sing for her. He'd yet to sing...their song...out loud. He hadn't been able to, since she'd been torn from him so brutally. It was just...it hurt too much.

He fell silent, stopped writing and put down his pencil to take out his switchblade. As he flicked the knife open, he could easily remember it being covered in scarlet blood. Had it really happened...only a few years ago? It felt like yesterday. It probably always would. He'd loved her more than his own life. For a while, he'd only wanted to die, but he'd carried on...for Zephyr.

Amanda hadn't been overly beautiful, but there had been a kind of soft perfection in her honey blond hair and warm dove gray eyes. She was sweet and kind, and they'd become friends almost immediately. For a time, they'd been like brother and sister...but then they'd fallen in love. Evan's grip on his blade tightened so much that his knuckles whitened. He hadn't told Zephyr about Amanda. The child had been too young to understand. He was still too young.

Sverre...the bastard who'd stuck his knife in Amanda's back...the one he'd once called his foster brother...had taken her because she was the one who'd mattered most to him. After Evan had taken care of Sverre - oh, how he'd loved the feel of his switchblade ripping easily through soft flesh and muscle as he'd stabbed that fucker in the heart - he'd returned to Amanda, bloodstained and with tears spilling from his eyes.

She'd still been alive. He'd seen her love for him in her eyes as she whispered the three words he hadn't been brave enough to say - _"I love you."_ He'd replied that he loved her too, that he wanted her to stay with him. She'd smiled and whispered, _"I know, Evan. I'm sorry...but this is our farewell."_ He'd kissed her then, trying to let her go peacefully. He'd had to say the one word that tore his heart to shreds: Goodbye.

Amanda had died with a smile on her face, serene as an angel. And Evan had thrown back his head and screamed until he couldn't scream any longer.

He bit his lip, blinking furiously to get rid of the tears. It had hurt worse than any stab wound, worse than any blow, worse even than the deep cuts that formed the word on his chest. It had been...pure agony.

It still was.

OoOoO

"So what were you planning to get to feed your pet?" Professor Snape inquired.

He was relaxing in one of the chairs outside the ice cream parlor in Diagon Alley. He and Zephyr were nearly done with their shopping and the boy's things had been shrunken and placed in Severus' pockets. All that was left to get was a wand, and of course, food for Zephyr's snake - Aylen, the boy called her.

"Mice," Zephyr replied with a shrug. Aylen was draped casually over his shoulders, and Severus had to fight a shudder. The boy and his serpent reminded him very much of Nagini and the Dark Lord.

"I see." Severus paused. "Mr. Ventulus, forgive me if this is too personal a question, but how long have you really known your older brother?"

"Pretty much my whole life," the boy answered after giving the professor a curious look. "Did...did he tell you how he found me?" When Severus shook his head slowly, the boy went on, "Well, I'd better then. When I was a baby, Evan found me abandoned in an alleyway with no one in sight. The alley wasn't a well-used one, he told me. In fact most people didn't even know it was there." He shrugged again, causing Aylen to hiss softly and curl around his neck more comfortably. "I would have died if he hadn't found me. He _raised_ me. We aren't blood-related, but we're close as brothers can get."

"Interesting," Severus murmured. "How, pray tell, did you get that scar? I got the feeling your brother wasn't telling the whole truth."

Zephyr hesitated. Experienced as he was at reading people, Severus caught the well-hidden indecision, then the determination as the boy made up his mind. "Alright. What I'm going to tell you, no one else knows. So please...don't tell Evan I told you this? Or Dumbledore?" Severus sighed, then nodded. "Truth be told..." Zephyr bit his lip. "...I don't know how I got the scar. I didn't fall on a piece of glass. I've had it since Evan found me. Probably even before that."

The Potions Master sat back to think this over. Well...it looked like Dumbledore really had found the missing Boy-Who-Lived. The only problem was...what was he going to do now? What was his next move? Should he go to Dumbledore once he left the boy with his guardian, or keep his word?

"Please...I'm begging you...don't tell Dumbledore any of this," Zephyr whispered, looking scared. "I don't want to be this harry Potter person. I don't want to be a savior. I don't want to be the Boy-Who-Forgot-to-Die, or whatever." In spite of himself, Severus had to give a thin-lipped smile at the title. "I just want to be me, Zephyr Ventulus. I just..." The boy looked away and finished in choked tones, "I just want to go _home_ with my brother and forget any of this happened."

For the first time, Severus opened his eyes and really _looked_ at the child - for that was what sat before him. Not the Boy-Who-Lived. Not the savior of the wizarding world. Not the son of James and Lily Potter. Just a lost, scared, confused child who had no idea what was happening. Zephyr's world had been turned upside-down and flipped on its side, and the boy just wanted things to be the way they were supposed to be again.

Well...shit. What now? They couldn't very well _Obliviate_ Evan and Zephyr Ventulus. Both of them had been at Hogwarts for eight days. Much too long a time to chance removing the memories - their minds might be irreparably damaged.

Severus sighed and got to his feet. "Come on, Zephyr," he said, the child's given name slipping off his tongue before he could stop it. "Best get you a wand before we head off to buy your companion's food."

The raven-haired boy perked up and nodded, hopping lightly from his seat. Severus sighed and led Zephyr away, mulling over the information he'd just been given, and attempting to decide what to do next.


	17. XVII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

An hour later saw Evan dozing lightly, stretched out on the couch. He was lying on his stomach, his head resting comfortably on the bent elbow of his left arm. His right arm was dangling off the cushion so his fingers lightly brushed the carpet. It was actually just like a catnap. He was sleeping, but lightly enough that even the smallest noise would wake him.

Which was why, when Zephyr came in calling that he was back loudly enough that he could be heard in _all_ of the rooms they'd been given, Evan had half a seizure and fell off the couch with a heavy _'thud'_. This was followed by strings of Evan's favorite curse words.

Zephyr stared at him for about thirty seconds before a wide grin stretched across the boy's face. "Well, good morning, big brother! I hope I didn't wake you?" he said cheerfully, dancing lightly over to stand next to Evan.

"Shut up. Horrible child, you are," Evan shot back, ruffling his wilder-than-usual chestnut brown hair and stretching his jaws almost painfully in a huge yawn.

The black-haired child was still grinning. "I can't believe I caught you off-guard! You've _never_ startled that badly before."

"Yes, well, I wasn't expecting this certain brother of mine to come barging in yelling loud enough to deafen an elephant." The older of the two stretched, popping several stiff joints. "Anyway, how was your trip? Get anything I need to be cautious of knocking into or mixing?"

"Yeah, actually," Zephyr said, shrugging. "A whole bunch of stuff to use in potions. Professor Snape was going to drop by later and help me understand what all of it's for later. And look - a magic wand!"

Evan gave the thin piece of polished wood Zephyr produced a highly skeptical look, even going so far as to slowly raise one eyebrow as if to imply Zephyr was joking. The thing was about eleven, maybe twelve inches long, Evan guessed, and made of some kind of dark brown wood. It was impossible to tell which type by simply looking at it.

"No, I'm serious!" Zephyr insisted. "Sparks came out of this thing when I touched it, and I blew up something in the shop with one of the others."

This was so unexpected that Evan stared at Zephyr for maybe ten seconds before he had to burst out laughing. His little brother was all grown up and already making things explode! The thought just made him laugh harder.

Zephyr, meanwhile, was trying to figuratively collect his jaw from the floor. Evan _never_ laughed like this! He always kind of controlled himself...which made Zephyr wish he had a camera. If only Evan would relax more often. _But then,_ Zephyr thought, watching with an amused smile as Evan attempted to catch his breath without falling on the floor, _he didn't stay alive this long by being relaxed. And I think I'm finally starting to realize just how hard it was for him to survive. He lived on the bare minimum he needed - we both did. And I think it's shown us just how cruel life can be, and we can understand things better for it._

"Hey," Evan said not a minute later. As soon as Zephyr locked gazes with him, the older mock glared at him. "You will _not_ tell people I lost it like that, understood?"

Zephyr snapped into an upright position and saluted his brother. "Yes, sir, Mr. Boss-man, sir!"

"You little - !"

Zephyr shrieked and darted out of the way of Evan's lunge, only to be tackled to the floor a second later. He started struggling at once, calling out for help that would never come. Evan grinned wickedly. "Now, what was that you just said, little man?" he asked, poking his brother in the ribs. The child squirmed, trying to get free, only to yelp as Evan poked him again, twice in rapid succession. "I'm waiting," Evan sing-songed.

"Okay, okay! I give! Mercy! I won't tell anyone you completely cracked up over something I said!" Zephyr cried, planting his face in the carpet in a position of defeat. "Hey," he said suddenly, his voice rather muffled, "This carpet smells like cheap carpet cleaner!"

Evan hid another round of laughter behind a quiet cough and let his brother up. "You've never smelled cheap carpet cleaner," he pointed out mildly. "So you should be saying it smells like what you imagine cheap carpet cleaner should smell like."

"I hate you and your smartness!" Zephyr declared, sitting up swiftly.

"No you don't," Evan muttered, smirking. "You just hate that I'm so much smarter than you are."

Zephyr grinned suddenly and rather wickedly. "Says he who's so _alert_ he gets startled by his own _brother_ coming back from getting his school things and falls off the couch."

"That's it!"

"Eeep!"

OoOoO

Some time later, when they'd both calmed down, Evan and Zephyr were relaxing on the couch, leaning against each other with their feet resting on the armrests. Well, Zephyr's were. Evan's long legs meant the only way he could rest comfortably was if he allowed his feet to hand over the edge.

"Hey, Evan?"

"Hmm?" My, the older man sounded tired...

"What are you planning on getting me for my birthday?"

Evan cracked open one chocolate brown eye halfway and turned his head to look at his little brother. "Why ever would I tell you that?" he murmured. "The point of getting you a present is making sure you have no idea what it is until your birthday."

"I'm curious," Zephyr informed the brown-haired man, much to Evan's amusement.

"Of course you are. However, you can _stay_ curious until your birthday." Mentally, Evan ran over the number of days they'd been there. Had it really only been eight? It felt like one _hundred_ and eight. "Let's see, that gives you...six days to wait and wonder."

"Evan!" Zephyr whined.

"Zephyr!" his older brother mimicked.

"You're mean," the child decided, settling back against Evan with a pout. Evan merely chuckled.

OoOoO

"It's so _boring_, waiting for them," a feminine voice complained. The speaker, a tall, thin teenage girl leaned against an oak tree across from her companion as she spoke. The one facing her was a man, a head taller than she was. He locked gazes with her, and she looked away, twisting a silver band that rested on her index finger. Set in the middle of the band was a small ruby.

"You know as well as I do that it never gets any easier," he responded easily. "If only you had more patience, Stryker." The young woman stiffened. "Maybe then the waiting would be a little more bearable."

"So easy for someone like you to say," she snapped. "It would do you no harm to remember that fire doesn't mix well with ice, Xavier."

"I apologize," Xavier murmured, holding up his hands in surrender. On one of his index fingers glittered a silver ring identical to the one Stryker wore. His gem, though, was a sapphire. His eyes, a captivating blue, brightened as he sensed an approaching aura. "Looks like the next one has awakened and is on the way."

Stryker offered an irritated sigh, blowing strands of her chin-length corbeau hair from her face. Even in the forest, where the dappled, dying light touched her hair, it shone with an eerie greenish highlight. Her burning, fiery orange-red eyes seemed to glow as she hissed, "Finally. Which one is it?"

"I'm not sure. It's either Deidrick or Hana." Xavier shook his reddish-brown hair back, fixing Stryker with a calm gaze. "We will know which one soon enough."

True to his words, a young man leaped from a tree branch just beyond Xavier. "Deidrick," the older man greeted him with a slight nod.

"Hey. Have you found him yet?" the newcomer greeted breathlessly, stepping into what little light was there. His hair was blonde and the longest parts of it reached his shoulders, while the shortest barely touched his chin. His eyes were deep, forest green. He, too, wore a silver band with a gem set into it. His was an emerald.

"No," Xavier admitted, frowning. "I assume it's because his powers haven't awakened yet." He shot a glance at Stryker, who gazed stonily back. "When they do, we _will_ find him, Stryker," he promised softly. She nodded sharply, looking away and muttering something that was too quiet to be heard.

"Sorry to totally ruin the mood!" a cheerful voice called, just as another teen stepped into the clearing. She tucked her auburn hair behind one ear and grinned at the others, her piercing ice-blue eyes warm. As she waved to Deidrick, her own ring glinted from her finger. Her stone was blue topaz. "But I heard you guys were in town. Any word from the others?"

"No, none," Stryker grumbled. "I hate this _waiting_!" As if to prove her point, she kicked one of the roots of the tree she was leaning against. her black combat boot made a dull _'thunk'_ against the wood. That was another thing this group had in common - one, they all had identical rings, save for their gemstones. And two, all of them wore long-sleeved white cotton shirts, long black pants, and black combat boots.

"Get used to it," Hana retorted, her chipper air vanishing like morning dew in summer. "Apparently we're still looking for the others." She paused. "I take it we _still_ don't know their names," she added dryly.

"No," Xavier sighed. "We only suspect."

"I figured. It's been this way since the dawn of time, hasn't it?" Hana sighed. "We're all here - now we must wait for the last two to be sure of which way we will push this war."

"Yeah," Stryker sighed, giving up her attack in the tree to meet Hana's gaze somewhat sadly. "It's almost pathetic, the way humanity keeps almost destroying itself, isn't it? Well," she added, looking away to scowl darkly at the now barely visible forest floor, "if they didn't, what would they need us for?"

"Point," Deidrick muttered. Hana and Xavier murmured their agreement. Stryker had good ideas, and she was pretty smart, but if she was pushed too far or if she didn't want to reveal her thoughts, she'd lash out at those nearest to her. If they weren't careful, they'd get badly burned.

After a few minutes, Hana let out a sigh. "Somehow, I don't think this is going to happen tonight," she murmured, unknowingly intoning the thoughts of the entire group.

Stryker pushed off her tree and cracked her neck. "Not like the problems of the world can be solved in one night anyway," she grumbled. Hana merely nodded - Stryker was just as disappointed as the rest of them, no matter how well she covered it.

Xavier glanced at his friends. "Same time, same place next week?" he offered.

Stryker smirked at him, the closest she ever came to a smile. "Well, if I'm going to be bored out of my mind, I might as well do it in a _forest_ rather than on my couch," she huffed, turning and stalking away from the group. Xavier, Deidrick and Hana smiled after her.

"Same old Stryker," Deidrick snickered. "She still hasn't changed much."

"Of course not," Xavier chuckled. "I'll meet you guys here next week, then." With barely a sound, the three parted. Their mission had failed tonight, but they'd keep trying. _Everything_ rested on their success...or their failure to get what they were waiting for in time.


	18. XVIII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Another two days passed by in a familiar routine. Evan would be still awake in Zephyr's room after another night of no sleeping and would retreat to the kitchen to make his breakfast and tea at six in the morning. When he'd finished, which was usually at six-thirty, he'd just sit around idly, letting Zephyr get his final half-hour of sleep before he'd go to wake him up. Then when the child was dressed, awake, and fed, they'd head out to the lake. They were beginning to memorize the way to and from their rooms, though Evan _still_ hadn't gotten used to the staring and the whispering of the portraits.

Once, when the brunette had been in an exceptionally good mood, the brothers had sparred out there. The fresh air had given them both extra energy, and Evan was proud to say at the end of the session that Zephyr would soon be too quick for him. Both had been out of breath but happy.

But now...Evan was lounging on the couch at the end of their tenth day here, staring up at the ceiling, with Zephyr lying comfortably on top of him. He should probably have put the child to bed, but he didn't want to wake his little brother after their longer than usual training session. Besides, he was comfortable, Zephyr was comfortable, and the couch was _very_ comfortable.

Today he'd tested Zephyr's mind as well as his body. The child was doing well. He had a lot to learn when it came to verbal manipulations, but when it came to hand-to-hand combat...well. Evan allowed himself a grin. The boy was pretty damn good. Getting faster and trickier all the time, and probably putting on some muscle too. Maybe by the time Zephyr turned twelve, he'd have learned everything Evan had to teach.

Then again, maybe not. Evan had a _lot_ of tricks up his sleeve. Most of them meant to be pulled when fighting a bigger, slower opponent, but a few of them were pretty useful in outsmarting a smaller and speedier fighter.

The older man breathed a soft sigh as he dragged his mind away from sparring and he began to think of the time they'd spent here. Ten days. Four days to Zephyr's birthday. It was...July twenty-seventh, then. Evan frowned slightly. And still they drew ever closer to that fateful day, when Zephyr would start school here.

"Oh, Zephyr," Evan murmured, lifting a hand to run it through the soft black hair. "I fear we may have bitten off more than we could chew, this time..." Of course, there was no reply, and Evan closed his eyes and just focused on that strong pulse he could feel beating in time with his own heart. So young...so full of life...so easily broken in the wrong hands.

_Easily broken, yes, as all humans can be,_ Evan whispered to himself. _But I will do everything in my power to stop that old bastard from bending and twisting Zephyr so far that he shatters. If he so much as tries it...I will break him. Like snapping a toothpick._

Evan felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. Humans were so...fragile, though none of them realized it. Because they didn't see they weren't immortal, they didn't see all it took was one false move for their lives to be forfeit. Evan understood all of that perfectly. And he also knew...that in the last few seconds before a person dies...you get to see who they really are.

In a way, when he finally broke Albus Dumbledore, he was going to get to know him better than anyone else Dumbledore had known ever had. Evan frowned suddenly. The people he'd killed...Sverre, the bastard who carved the word 'sinner' into his chest, a few other people who had either attacked him or gotten way too close for comfort...he'd known all of them better than even their closest friends had. It was odd. He'd seen which of them were cowards, who were willing to give up someone else's life to stay alive just one more day. He'd seen which ones were brave, who would rather die than betray those they held dear. Those brave ones, they hadn't suffered at his blade. He'd made it quick for them. He'd...respected them in a way. Because they were just like him.

Zephyr stirred slightly. Evan blinked and focused his attention on his little brother, his expression softening into a lightly amused one. "Ready for bed, or are you just going to sleep on me some more, kiddo?" He sat up without waiting for the response, ignoring the annoyance of his little brother. "You need to sleep in a bed, not on top of me, little one."

"But you're warm," Zephyr protested tiredly, trying to snuggle closer. "And I feel safer sleeping on you."

"Be that as it may," Evan replied gently, "You're exhausted and I'm wide awake. I'd wake you with all my twitching, whereas your bed" - at this point he dumped the child lightly onto his bed, much to Zephyr's annoyance and his amusement - "won't."

"Why're you always awake when I need to be asleep, Evan?" Zephyr complained, yawning right afterward.

"I'll explain when you're awake enough to understand," Evan murmured, resting a hand over his brother's eyes gently. "Rest now. I'll still be here when you wake."

Zephyr snuggled deeper into his covers and yawned once more. "'Night, big brother."

"Goodnight, you little horror," Evan teased lightly as he turned off Zephyr's bedroom lights and shut the door quietly behind him. Then he let out a long, silent sigh, his shoulders sinking slowly.

He realized, now more than ever, just how much Zephyr meant to him. They weren't related by blood, yet they were extremely close. Much closer than most actual blood siblings. The brunette ran a hand through his long hair with a shake of the head. If Dumbledore used Zephyr to get to him, or used him to get to Zephyr...he wasn't sure they'd be able to avoid his demands. They cared for each other too transparently. Anyone could see the bond they shared. And that wasn't good for their well-being.

Well...too late to change that now. The damage was done. And Evan's mind kicked into overdrive, considering how Dumbledore or someone else might try to get at Zephyr or himself, and deciding on the best ways to prevent those scenarios. He decided that he'd like to ask Severus Snape to help defend his little brother against the headmaster. Perhaps he'd even ask Aylen to bite him if he tried to come near her companion.

Evan sighed once more, turned, and headed for the kitchen. Looks like he'd need his notebook. Time to start planning once more. His brother's safety could be at stake, and that was _not_ something he would tolerate.

The kidnapping, the possible attempt on Zephyr's life, the attack on Evan's mind...the retaliation for those would be nothing - merely Evan playing with them like a cat would a cornered mouse - compared to what would happen if Zephyr was hurt.

If Zephyr got injured in the presence of or under the watch of Albus Dumbledore, Evan intended to make his life a pure, living _hell_.

**-0-0-0-**

**Oh, dear gods, yet _another_ chapter?! -buries head in arms- Damnit...either I'm getting far too used to writing chapters at warp speed for you people, or there's something very wrong with me. -groans-**

**Anyway, since I've already dropped this little hint/spoiler/watever to two people, I might as well give it to the rest of you, eh?**

**Those people who were meeting in the end of last chapter? Xavier, Hana, Deidrick, and Stryker? Look back a few chapters after last. I think you'll find you already know exactly who they are.**

**(Something I didn't mention to the two people who commented on those four: The color of the gems in their rings plays a _very_ big part in who they are.)  
**


	19. XIX

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

When the answer came to Albus Dumbledore, who had paced his office for _days_ trying to figure out how to get to Evan Ventulus, he very nearly smacked himself in the head. Of _course_ he couldn't get to him the _Muggle_ way! Taking Harry wouldn't work, and neither would any other way. The boy was far, far too good, yes. At fighting without _magic._

So, with an insane glitter in his eyes, Dumbledore left his office. Silent as a snake, he headed towards the portrait that hid the rooms where the two supposed Muggles were staying. A whispered password later, and he slid into the rooms with barely a sound. Not two minutes later, he _found_ his target. He was sitting at the kitchen table, writing something, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Dumbledore lifted his wand, unable to contain his triumphant grin.

In the next room, Zephyr woke with a start, with the oddest feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

"_Stupefy,_" whispered the insane headmaster. The spell hit Evan, who slumped forward. Albus magically tied his wrists and ankles together before casting a '_mobilicorpus_' and taking the younger man from the rooms.

A silent shadow stood watching in horror, tears streaming from bright green eyes.

OoOoO

"_Ennervate_,"Albus hissed. Slowly, the man in front of him stirred, brown eyes blinking open in an attempt to clear his vision. The headmaster watched with barely contained glee as Evan began to realize he was trapped, first by looking around, then by noticing his ankles were bound. His wrists followed.

"Good evening, Mr. Ventulus," Albus said in his most pleasant tone. "I do hope you'll find your new room satisfactory - you'll be staying here a while I'm afraid."

"That much I'd guessed," Evan shot back. "So what is it you want? Me to stop getting in the way? To get to Zephyr? Or just to silence me so I can't help your _precious_ so-called savior protect himself?"

It took every bit of Albus' self-control not to just _Avada Kedavra_ the brat and be done with it. "Of course not," he said, forcing his voice to be calm. "I just want to send...a message. That even the brightest of stars can dim. That even heroes can fall. That even an idol and protector...can be reduced to the brink of death."

He set the tip of his wand in the middle of the boy's forehead. "Now...shall we begin?" When Evan made no reply, Albus added, "Let's see how long the great brother of Harry Potter can stand to be tortured. _Crucio._"

OoOoO

It hurt. Oh, gods it hurt! Evan bit his lip to keep from crying out. It was like a thousand white-hot needles being slowly pushed into his skin. Worse than any knife wound. A knife wound would be _pleasant_ compared to this! He bit down harder, and was kept under for about ten more seconds before the pain began to ease. It left quite a few residual aches, and he slumped forward, gasping. His lip was throbbing, but that was pushed to the back of his mind when he realized he hadn't bitten through it again.

"What was...that supposed to do?" Evan asked quietly, well aware that his voice was shaking but unable to steady it.

"Hmm. It would seem you've got a very high pain tolerance level," Albus said, still in that pleasant voice that grated on Evan's nerves. "But that wasn't very long - only thirty seconds. Shall we try for a minute next time?"

"Torture me all you want, old man...I don't know what you want, but I don't think you'll get it."

"Such brave words. We'll have to fix your being so disrespectful." The wood was settled on his brow once more, and Evan tensed. "_Crucio._"

OoOoO

Zephyr was running through Hogwarts by now, looking for Severus Snape. He was absolutely sure he was entirely lost, and he was half-blinded by his tears. He had never forgotten his strange nightmare. Now he recognized the panicked feeling that drove him on. His brother was in danger! Now he understood. _Evan_ was the bleeding man. He knew now why Evan had looked so scared, had been screaming. He didn't know who'd been speaking to him, and he didn't know who they eyes had belonged to. But he _did_ know that Evan was in serious trouble and he needed help _now_!

He came to the doors he and Evan went through to get outside and he breathed a sigh of relief. At least he knew where he was. But now he had choices - upstairs, to the left, or to the right, which seemed to lead downward. He made a snap decision, knowing only that if he chose wrong, he could lose his brother. Forever.

He went right.

OoOoO

Evan spat out a mouthful of blood. This time, he'd bitten clean through the inside of his cheek, but at least he hadn't cried out. He was growing weaker though. Anyone could see it. Soon he'd be screaming. Maybe then he'd get a break. Maybe then the bastard would be satisfied. But until then Evan would do his best not to scream, not to give him what he wanted.

"Well, I'm impressed. Most people would be screaming themselves hoarse by now."

When Evan got out of here the first thing he was going to do was find some people willing to rip out that old coot's larynx so he couldn't speak anymore. "Well...I'm not 'most people', you old bastard," he said with a cold half-smile.

"Still disrespectful, I see," Albus said, and this time his careful control slipped a bit, revealing his annoyance. "Well, maybe a different type of torture will get you to understand that merely insulting me is not enough to get me to let you go." He pointed his wand at Evan's shoulder and murmured, "_Diffindo._"

The effect was immediately obvious. The sleeve of Evan's shirt tore, as if cut by an invisible knife, and he hissed quietly as his skin was slashed as well, cut so neatly it looked like an expert surgeon had done it. Then it started bleeding. His eyes widened in alarm. It wasn't deep, but it was bleeding a lot. Hopefully it would stop soon.

Hopefully he'd get help before then.

"Now, let's try for a minute and thirty seconds," Albus Dumbledore growled. He heard the old man say "_crucio_" yet again, and he jerked as the pain joined that of his cut, doubling it and making him bite his lip again.

Somehow...he got the feeling help wasn't coming for a while.

OoOoO

Zephyr ran headlong into something, or rather, some_one_. The person staggered, obviously caught off-guard, and Zephyr fell over entirely. "Mr. Ventulus." The familiar voice made the child feel weak with relief. "May I ask _why_ exactly you're running about the castle so late at night?"

"You've got to help me, sir!" Zephyr gasped. "Someone stole Evan and I had this dream a while ago and I know something bad's going to happen and I - "

"Dream?" Professor Snape asked sharply. Zephyr nodded, not sure how that meant anything. His brother _needed_ him!

"I saw him bleeding and then I saw him screaming, but that's not the point! I saw a whole bunch of other things!" His panic began to leak into his tone. "I think whoever took Evan is doing something awful to him! I think they're hurting him! You have to help me find him!"

"Did you see this person's face?" the Potions Master asked. "The one who took your brother."

"No!" Zephyr's voice flew up an octave as he finally began to break down. "I don't know what he looked like or where my brother's been taken to!" He drew his knees to his chest and began to cry into them. "I just know he's being hurt."

"Calm down, child," Severus sighed, reaching down to pull Zephyr to his feet. "We'll find him. Come with me." He tugged on the boy's wrist, which he'd yet to release from his hold, and began to lead Zephyr back the way he'd come. "We're going to talk to an old friend of mine, and he's going to find some people to help us search the school."

OoOoO

After a minute and fifteen seconds, Evan released his lip and finally screamed. The front of his shirt had blood that had dripped down his chin and neck from his lip and cheek staining it, and his torn sleeve was _drenched_ in it. He was dizzy from blood loss, and he was hurting something awful.

"Good boy," the headmaster said happily, finally lifting the _Crucio._ Evan couldn't even find the energy to spit out the blood that filled his mouth anymore. He just let it trickle from his lips, staining his shirt further.

Albus had never seen a prettier sight. He'd finally won. Then, the victory was tainted when Evan managed to lift his head to glare at him.

"_Fuck you_," the boy hissed. Albus was dumbfounded. The man looked like utter shit, and he was _still_ managing to be defiant! "Tear me to shreds all you like, but whatever you're trying to get me to say, I _won't_!"

"My dear boy," Albus said with a scowl that contradicted his words. "Whoever said I wanted to hear you say anything? No, I'm teaching you to mind your place. You are insignificant. I would kill you, but torturing you before I do so is more satisfying. And it's more likely you'll break before I decide to kill you. Your next lesson," he added with a twisted smile, "is tomorrow afternoon. Rest up, Evan Ventulus. Trust me when I say, you're going to need it."

He stood and left through the only door in the room, and locked it behind him. Once Evan was sure he was gone, he allowed himself to close his eyes and shed the few tears he had left. He was completely helpless. And Dumbledore _knew_ it.

Now the only question was...how long before Dumbledore got bored of his new 'toy' and decided to kill him?


	20. XX

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

"Malfoy residence," Severus hissed as green fire flared in front of him. "Stay here, Zephyr. I'll be back. With help." He stepped into the fire, ignoring Zephyr's shocked cry, and was instantly whisked to his old friend's house. He stepped out of the fireplace and strode forward. "Lucius!"

"Severus. Isn't this a pleasant surprise," Lucius drawled as he entered the room, Narcissa and Draco behind him.

"I come asking your help, Lucius. One of the students who is to attend Hogwarts this year has taken up temporary residence in the school along with his older brother. This student and I both have reason to believe that his brother is in danger."

Lucius stared at him. "You want me to send for a search party." His eyes narrowed. "Just who is this student, Severus?"

"His name is Zephyr Ventulus," Severus said, giving only half of the truth.

"There's something...you're not telling me," the blonde man murmured, but he shrugged and said, "Consider it done. They'll be there by the afternoon. Just tell me where he'd be likely to be or who was likely to kidnap him."

Oh, bloody hell. The boy could be anywhere, and as for who'd...want to...

...Wait...

Severus' obsidian eyes widened as he realized. Great _bloody_ hell. "Albus has wanted him out of the way for a while now," he said, a bit hoarsely.

Who knew what condition Evan Ventulus would be in by the time he was found?

"Oh dear," Narcissa gasped softly.

OoOoO

In this little cell, the minutes, the seconds, dragged on and on. It was impossible to know what time it was. At least his mouth and shoulder had stopped bleeding, though the dried blood was extremely uncomfortable and it coated and cracked on his skin like some twisted version of paint. How much more of this could he stand before he broke, Evan asked himself. How much more torture could he stand? Because the waiting was just as much torture as the pain was. He would do his best not to break before help came, but he'd no idea if help was coming at all.

A while later, Evan looked up at the sound of movement outside the door. Surely it wasn't the next day already? It couldn't have been - it had probably only been ten minutes and his subconscious was beginning to react to being confined like this. Making him see and hear things that weren't there. How he wished he could sleep...for once, just to escape the _waiting_...

Evan's eyes widened as Dumbledore entered the room. Okay...so it _wasn't_ just his subconscious. He'd really been here longer than he'd thought.

Well..._shit_.

But the man was merely carrying a tray of food and water. _Don't drink,_ his instincts whispered to him. _Don't eat. Drugs...poison...not good._

"Good morning my dear boy," the headmaster said. "I assume you're quite hungry and thirsty by now."

_Yes, but not for anything you offer me. I'll die of thirst before I drink anything I get in here._ Evan shot back silently, refusing to look up at the clearly insane old man.

"Very well then. I'll untie you and leave it here. Enjoy your freedom to stretch while you can - you'll be tied again for your lesson later today."

Evan felt like beating his head into a wall over and over until he knocked himself out or cracked open his skull. He merely nodded ever so slightly and immediately began flexing and rubbing his wrists when they were released. No point trying his luck with an escape attempt. Dumbledore had proven he could hurt Evan without touching him.

Eating and drinking was a risk he couldn't afford to take. For all he knew they'd been spiked with something to make his mind clouded, his instincts less sharp, so that if Dumbledore interrogated him he'd answer without realizing it.

So...what now?

OoOoO

Zephyr jumped badly as Severus stepped out of the fireplace, again with a flare of green flames. "My friend is gathering a search party," the professor told the child. "We'll find him."

Zephyr looked up at him with dimmed green eyes. "Can you keep that promise, professor?" he whispered. "Will I ever see my brother again?"

Severus knelt beside his soon-to-be student and locked gazes with him. "You _will_ see him again. I promise you."

"But will he be alive or dead?" The boy's voice choked and he looked away. "And if he's still alive when I see him again...will he still be the Evan I know?" He buried his head in his arms and began to cry once more.

Severus could do little more than comfort the distraught kid. "More than anything," he whispered, not sure if Zephyr could hear, "I want to be able to answer those questions." If - no, _when_ - Evan Ventulus was found, wards would have to be put up against Albus Dumbledore around their rooms. These two could not - _would not_ suffer any more by the headmaster's hand. Severus would be damned before he let that bastard harm them.

**-0-0-0-**

**Short chapter, yes. I'm sorry, but I'm _really_ not awake right now. Damn it, tonight I'm really getting my sleep. No excuses...I need it. I'm like...half here, half somewhere else _very_ far away...  
**


	21. XXI

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Hana threw herself into Xavier's arms with a sob. "He's hurting, Xavier! I can feel him - he's hurting a lot!" He wrapped his arms around her tightly, trying to comfort her as much as he could when he could feel it too. One of the others' internal power had just awoken, and they were being hurt. Over and over again. It didn't matter that they couldn't tell which one. They were duty bound, as friends and comrades in past lives, to protect and stick with each other.

Stryker had folded in on herself and was hugging her knees to her chest, her face buried in them as she trembled. The strong young woman _never_ showed such weakness. It must be really bad for her in particular. Deidrick was massaging his temples as if attempting to ease the pain. When the fire flared bright green, Xavier was the only one to turn his head.

A blonde-haired man was stepping from the fireplace.. A _familiar_ blonde-haired man. Xavier nodded to him, attempting to soothe Hana by gently stroking her back. "Lucius," he greeted.

"Xavier, Hana, Deidrick...Stryker," Lucius said. "I apologize for being so hasty, and for showing up at an obviously bad time," he added as he brushed a few flecks of soot from his shoulder. "But a friend of mine asked me to ask you to help with a search."

"For what?" Xavier asked, as a surge of agony traveled through him from the newest bond. He couldn't quite stop his soft hiss of pain, and he held Hana closer when she flinched. Deidrick let out a groan and Stryker clutched at her head, uttering a soft cry.

"Are you all alright?" Lucius asked concernedly, his silver eyes meeting Xavier's cerulean.

"We are," Deidrick said, raising his head to look at the Malfoy. "But whichever of the other two that just woke up, is in a lot of pain right now."

OoOoO

Evan wished he could stop feeling. Just have every nerve cell in his body go numb when he wanted them to, so he wouldn't have to put up with this kind of pain ever again. He was well aware that he was screaming, and he was also aware that that bastard was enjoying his pain.

"Are you going to keep talking back, or do you need another dose?" Dumbledore asked coldly, the tip of his wand resting on Evan's temple. Twice now, he'd been hit with the weird "_crucio_" thing. It wasn't getting easier to stop himself from screaming. It was getting more difficult.

_Crucio_. It meant "to torture" in Latin. Evan found himself realizing, as he was hit with it yet again, that the phrase fit well even if Dumbledore wasn't using knives or lighters to frighten and harm. _Magic,_ the man thought dimly. _It's real, then. So...we're screwed._

As the curse - for Evan had no doubt it was a curse - was lifted again, the young man lay limp and breathing heavily on the floor. His throat felt raw, and when he began to cough, he tasted the coppery tang of blood on his tongue.

"Oh, look what you did," Dumbledore tisked. "You got blood on the floor. Still haven't learned respect, I see. Alright then. You leave me no choice."

Evan watched with growing apprehension as the crazed man stood and pulled him into a sitting position before leaning his back against the nearest wall. "This will hurt a bit, I'm afraid, but it's all for the greater good." He put a hand on Evan's knee, and before the younger male had time to wonder what was about to happen, a strange surge went through his calf muscle. Followed by a funny muffled pop.

Then the muscle spasmed quite violently, and the pain began. Evan clenched his teeth on a hiss. It felt like he'd been shot or hit very hard in the back of the leg. When Dumbledore tugged the leg of his pants up, he could see it was starting to swell. There would probably be bruising, too. And it _hurt_. It wasn't a come-and-go kind of pain - it was waves of agony traveling up and down his leg.

Evan looked up at Dumbledore, only to see a satisfied half-smile playing at the man's lips. Just what had that old bastard done to him?!

OoOoO

"Just one question," Lucius said after he'd given a rapid explanation. "Are you up to it?" He was aiming it at Stryker in particular, but she gave him a stubborn nod and snapped into an upright position. After the other three had given their agreement, he hissed, "Then go! Waste no time - every second is precious."

"Yes, Lucius," Xavier murmured. His eyes glowed brilliantly for a moment, and then he and the others were gone.

"Be swift, my friends," Lucius whispered into the silence that followed. "For I fear that we don't have much longer to find who we're looking for..."

OoOoO

Severus sighed and ran a hand through his black hair. He'd put Zephyr to sleep a while ago, after the child had exhausted himself crying. Now he was waiting for news from Lucius. He knew the blonde would let him know when they found Evan. No point in stressing himself over it until they found the young man and knew what his condition was.

He found his gaze straying to the room where the boy slept fitfully, occasionally crying out softly. No doubt Zephyr was dreaming of what might be happening to his brother. Slowly, he leaned back into his chair, attempting to get comfortable.

Once upon a time, he'd hated the child, but that had been before Zephyr had been born. Severus had seen the child as another loss to the man he hated. He'd lost the woman he'd loved to James Potter, and then he'd found out Lily was pregnant. He'd been bitter - he would not deny it.

Then Lily and James had come to the Dark Lord, saying they wanted to switch sides in the war. They wanted to protect their son from Dumbledore - they'd known how insane he was, apparently. Voldemort had been wary at first, unsure of why two such well-known Light supporters would suddenly change their allegiances...but he'd welcomed them and their unborn child after hearing that Dumbledore had planned to trick the boy into believing some prophecy was his destiny. The Death Eaters had been prepared to accept the Potters and their child. Had the switch stayed unheard of, things would have been different. Very different.

But somehow...one year after Zephyr had been born and the Potters had settled in, the news that they'd switched had leaked to Dumbledore, who had been furious. No one really knew what had happened next - only that James and Lily had been murdered, and that Voldemort had vanished while checking to make sure they were safe. The child had been dubbed the Boy-Who-Lived by Albus Dumbledore, left at the home of Lily's sister...and dropped off the face of the earth. Severus sighed softly and rubbed the faint Dark Mark on his left forearm.

After that, some of the Death Eaters changed. Bellatrix Lestrange, for one. She'd been frantic to find the Dark Lord - enough so to torture two innocent people into madness. Most of them quietly went back to their lives, waiting and hoping for the day that Tom - their friend and their Lord - would return. Severus was one of those not hoping, but praying that Tom was not dead - that he would come back.

He was snapped from his thoughts when Zephyr screamed his brother's name, and stood quickly to go calm the child. _Please, Tom,_ he pleaded mentally, _please be alive. Come back soon._

OoOoO

Xavier winced as the pain he was receiving increased steadily. "Keep sharp," he said quietly to Stryker. The other two were scouting the other half of the school. "I think we're getting pretty close..." He trailed off when he realized she wasn't listening. She'd paused, head cocked to the side, in front of a stretch of blank wall a few feet back. Her face was a mask of pain, but as he met her eyes he understood. They _were_ close. Very close.

The newly awakened Elemental was just beyond that wall. The question was...how to get to him?

Stryker bit her lip and shook her head the tiniest bit. Xavier sighed, trying not to betray his frustration. They were so _close_! They couldn't give up now. They just...couldn't. All six Elementals were bound, body, mind, and soul, to protect and care for one another. If one was lost, all of them were lost until the next time they'd be reborn.

And that _must not_ happen. They'd been reborn in this time period for a reason. They were needed.

The quietest breath was all the warning Xavier got before Hana's voice murmured, "We felt your distress. Have you found him?"

"Yeah," Stryker breathed. "He's here." She tapped the wall with an index finger. "But we don't know how to get to him."

"Spread out," Deidrick whispered, close to Xavier's ear. "See if there isn't a hidden door anywhere nearby. If not, regroup and try to figure out something else. Warning is 'scatter'." All of them flinched as they felt the next wave of pain. Then they began to follow Deidrick's orders, alert in case one of them sounded the alarm.

If they failed, they failed not only their fellow Elemental, but the world that needed them.

OoOoO

Zephyr stared into the mug he held between lightly trembling hands. The hot chocolate helped a bit with the nightmares...but he wanted his brother.

Today would've been the eleventh day they spent here together, locked up by Dumbledore. Three days until Zephyr turned eleven. He bit his lip. Just a few days ago Evan had been with him, joking lightly about the child's birthday. Now...Zephyr didn't know where his brother was. Only that he was hurting.

_Big brother,_ he cried inwardly, taking a sip of the warm liquid to keep himself somewhat calm. _Where are you?_


	22. XXII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Evan was having a hard time keeping his mind off the pain. No doubt, after he'd done...whatever he'd done to the younger man's leg, Dumbledore thought Evan wouldn't even _consider_ trying to stand on it. Which was why he'd cheerfully untied Evan's ankles not five minutes ago, just before he'd left.

Well, Evan had tried to stand a few minutes after that. He'd gotten up alright and the first step with his undamaged leg went well...but the minute he tried to take a step with the leg that was paining him, white-hot agony had lanced through him and forced him to sit back down, deeply shaken. He didn't know _what_ that old bastard had done, he only knew it hurt like _hell_.

He _hated_ this! He drew his knees to his chest, folded his arms over them, and buried his face. He was quiet for a few more minutes, with only the steadily increasing pain of his injured limb for company. Almost without realizing it, he began to sing quietly, if only to keep himself from going mad from the silence.

"_This is what I brought you; this you can keep. This is what I brought; you may forget me. I promise to depart, just promise one thing: Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep._" He drew in a shaking breath. "_This is what I brought you; this you can keep. This is what I brought; you may forget me. I promised you my heart, just promise to sing: Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep. Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep." _Oh...the singing distracted from the pain a bit, too... _"This is what I thought; I thought you need me. This is what I thought; so think me naive. I promise you a heart, you promised to keep. Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep. Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep._" That's right...keep singing. it kept away both the silence and the pain. He thought his voice grew a bit stronger as he continued: "_Hey Miss Murder can I? Hey Miss Murder can I? Make beauty stay if I take my life? Whoa-oh-ohh... With just a look they shook, and heavens bowed before him. Simply a look can break your heart..._"

He broke off and looked up as a woman's voice hissed triumphantly, "Got it!" Slowly, the door edged open.

Evan tensed instinctively. He was in no condition to fight, he knew that, and within the next ten seconds, whoever was out there would know it too. He was covered in dried blood, all his own, and who knew what condition his leg was in? Then he paused, puzzled.

He..._knew_ that face. The ice-blue eyes...the auburn hair...somehow, everything about the face was as familiar as if she was his birth mother. Only...he'd never seen this woman before in his life. That was the part that both confused him and set him on edge.

"Easy," she whispered, slipping into the room. "We're busting you out of here." He even knew her voice. He was even more confused when three more, equally familiar individuals, followed her into the room. He wanted to ask them who they were, but what came out was:

"How in the seven hells did you find me? The old man seemed to think no one could get in but him."

"Now that's an interesting story," the black-haired girl murmured, glancing uneasily at the half-open door. "But we haven't the time to tell it all here. Can you walk?"

"No," Evan breathed, closing his eyes with a quiet sigh. "Dumbledore did something to my leg - I can stand just fine, but when I try to move after that...it's like the muscle's being torn apart from the inside..."

"Fine then," the blonde-haired male said quietly. "You can lean on us. We need to get moving - _now_."

Without another word, Evan was hauled gently to his feet and one arm was draped over the russet-haired man's shoulders. The blonde wrapped his arm around Evan's waist and helped guide him out of his prison. As soon as they were out, the black-haired woman twisted the silver ring on her index finger and whispered, _"Salveo."_

A second later, Evan felt a jerk somewhere behind his navel, and the world dissolved in color and sound.

OoOoO

Lucius was waiting for them. Instead of asking questions, he stood swiftly and moved away as Narcissa spread a sheet over the couch and Xavier and Deidrick gently laid the injured man down.

Stryker was taking note of the brown-haired man's wounds. A long gash on one arm, probably the source of the blood covering that torn sleeve. There was dried blood on the front of his shirt and leading in a trail down his throat. So probably injuries in the mouth as well as the bitten lip. And then there was the leg wound. The man didn't know what had been done, so it was best to just leave him there until it was confirmed.

"Can you give us your name?" Hana asked gently, brushing the hair from the wounded Elemental's face. He seemed surprised at the gesture.

"My name's...Evan," he said softly.

_Evan,_ Xavier thought breathing a quiet sigh. He reached into a pocket and pulled out one of the two rings he always kept on him, in case they ran into the missing Elementals. He checked the stone to make sure it was the right one.

"Evan," he said quietly. "You asked us how we found you. First we have a story to tell." He paused, and Hana began to speak, running her fingers through Evan's long brown bangs to keep him calm.

"The Earth was not created by God, nor was it made over billions of years as some believe," she said, her soft voice carrying easily in the silent room. Lucius and Narcissa listened intently, having never heard this before. "No, it was a violent process, initiated by the four original elements. Earth, water, air, and fire. Fire and air, and earth and water were the compatible elements - fire and water, and air and earth were not. Water sought to put out the flame, and earth refused to mold to the air's whims. There was balance, and yet there was not." She paused to let Evan take this in. "Then, two more elements rose from the clashes - darkness and light. The raw elements were too powerful for their own good - the six would have destroyed one another had they not calmed one miraculous day, and created six special people, born to keep the balance of the Earth intact. The people were dubbed the Elementals, and held complete control of the element they were born of." Hana gestured towards Stryker. "To give an example, Stryker over there can summon flames and control them as she likes."

"But then, somewhere along the line, normal humans showed up," Deidrick put in. He leaned against the wall, watching Evan with unreadable dark green eyes. "See, the thing about humans is...they have a way of creating things that were never meant to exist. Those things create chaos, chaos that if unleashed fully, could destroy the planet."

Hana took over again. "The first Elementals banded together to stop the first humans from destroying the world they'd been introduced to. They succeeded, but at the price of their own lives." She touched Evan's forehead lightly to make sure he was still listening. "But here's the neat thing. The Elementals are reborn, usually around the same place, and the same time, whenever the world needs them most. Around once every two hundred years or so."

"And we're here now," Stryker murmured, closing her eyes with a sigh. "Which means humanity has fucked up yet again. No matter how much people claim to love or care for each other, in the end, the only thing they do is destroy."

"Sad as it is, you're right, Stryker," Xavier murmured, palming the ring he was to give to the Darkness Elemental. He turned to Evan and said, "To get introductions out of the way a bit late, I am Xavier. I am the Water Elemental."

Hana smiled and said, "I am Hana. The Light Elemental."

Deidrick gave a little bow and added, "My name is Deidrick. I am the Earth Elemental."

Stryker let out a snort. "You already know my name. I'm Stryker, the resident Fire Elemental."

"And you," Xavier added, reaching forward to press the ring into Evan's palm, "Are the Darkness Elemental."

Evan opened his curled fingers to look at the ring curiously. It was a silver band, like the others were wearing. The gem set into it was deep purple in color. "Amethyst?" he asked softly, wincing as his slashed arm was wrapped lightly in gauze. He looked up to see the blonde woman who'd been here when they'd arrived. "What are your names?" His gaze strayed to the man standing against the wall behind the woman.

The woman smiled. "Forgive me - I am Narcissa Malfoy. My husband is Lucius Malfoy. And I'm sorry I can't do more for your wounds. I don't think you'd want to take a potion or let us come anywhere near you with our wands, judging by the fact that these were inflicted magically."

"It's...fine," he said uncertainly. "I'm used to it..." He looked back at the other four...the Elementals. "Will something happen to me when I put this ring on?"

"Most likely," Stryker said, opening her eyes. Evan had to force himself not to flinch away from her burning orange-as-flame gaze. "You'll probably come fully into your powers, and your appearance might change a bit..." She studied him thoughtfully for a moment. "In fact I can guarantee your eyes will change from that nice brown to violet. Your hair may change too...though I'm not sure on that. Out of us four, my hair was the only one to change. Now instead of having white highlights in the light, it has extremely odd green ones..." She shrugged.

Evan bit his lip, trying to make up his mind. "Can my brother see me one last time before I do?" he whispered.

Xavier's blue eyes widened in surprise. "Right now?"

"Yes," Evan murmured. "He has a right to know I'm still alive. Please."

Lucius exchanged a glance with Narcissa, then with Hana and Stryker. "Alright," he allowed after a moment.

OoOoO

"Severus," Lucius called into the empty room. His head was resting in the Potions Master's fire, and he was staring at the wall opposite. Well, for a minute anyway. Until said Potions Master entered the room and blinked in surprise.

"Lucius," he greeted, kneeling beside the hearth. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"Bring the child," the Malfoy said. "We've recovered his brother, and he's asking for him." A moment later, Lucius' head had gone.

Severus sighed and sat back on his heels. "Zephyr!" he called. "Come here." The child came into the room, looking not half as interested as a young child should. Severus beckoned him closer. "We've found your brother. He's asking for you."

Zephyr's green eyes lit up for the first time since he'd run into Severus saying his brother was gone. "Please, take me to him. I have to know he's alright."

"Let's go, then." Severus lightly grasped the child's wrist, threw some Floo powder into the fire, and stated clearly, "Malfoy residence." Not two seconds later, they were gone.


	23. XXIII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

While Evan waited for his little brother to arrive, he met Xavier's eyes and murmured, "You haven't explained how you found me - or how you knew I was this...Darkness Elemental." He toyed with the ring as he spoke, not quite ready to put it on. He was used to being average-looking - brown hair, brown eyes. He wasn't ready to change that yet.

"We six Elementals," Deidrick began, "share a unique bond. We are to protect and care for each other until the day we all give up our lives. We used that bond to find you, and after we saw and felt your aura...well, we just _knew_."

"I see." Evan paused when he heard someone speak his name uncertainly. Chocolate brown eyes softened when they met scared emerald green. "Zephyr," he breathed, holding out his good arm in invitation. That was all his little brother needed. Soon, Evan was cradling the sobbing child to him, making low, soothing noises in his throat.

"I thought you were dead," Zephyr choked out, holding on tighter. "I thought...I...I thought I'd never see you again..."

"Hush, little one," Evan murmured. "I'm here now. I'm here...everything's fine."

"But everything's not fine," Zephyr cried, burying his face into the older male's chest. "You're hurt, and my dream tried to warn me it would happen..."

Evan paused. "Your dream?" he asked quietly. The child nodded tearfully.

"Yeah. The one with a bleeding man and you screaming...I saw myself looking for something, I should've known..."

"Steady, Zephyr. We both thought it was just a dream - this is _not_ your fault." Evan tightened his hold on his brother briefly before he let go with a sigh. He was completely exhausted, mentally and physically. "Don't you dare start blaming yourself..." His eyes slid closed and he sighed once more before he succumbed to sleep, hoping for at least a few hours of rest. He wasn't awake to see Narcissa and Lucius slip away to give the Elementals and Zephyr some privacy.

OoOoO

"Is he really alright?" Zephyr asked uncertainly, looking around at the other people he'd failed to notice before.

"Of course he is, young one," Hana replied with a reassuring smile. "He just needs rest, and plenty of it. You _both_ do." She gently nudged him toward Severus. "Go now - he will still be here when you've slept." She watched both black-haired wizards leave, then turned and gently slipped the ring onto Evan's left index finger.

Stryker stared at her in surprise. "Hana?" the Fire Elemental asked uncertainly.

"We've only just found him, Stryker," Hana whispered. "And we don't have any idea where the Air Elemental is. We may have to leave to go looking for them. We _cannot_ lose him again if he leaves here." As she gently tapped the purple stone, she added more quietly, "To anyone."

Xavier stepped forward, his expression torn. "I understand, Hana, but was it a good idea to put the ring on without his consent?" he asked softly.

"He will forgive me," the Light Elemental murmured, half to herself. "He will forgive us all." She gave Evan's hand a gentle squeeze and stood, taking a step back.

OoOoO

"Well, well, well," the young man murmured, sitting back and staring at his softly glowing glass orb in surprise. "The old coot really has lost it." He blinked and began to pick at crud under his fingernails, a nervous habit that showed he was thinking deeply. "I didn't think you'd be right..."

"He'd lost it a long time before I even set foot in that castle," his companion hissed quietly in reply. "But once I began learning there, it became all too obvious. He will do anything to feel powerful."

"Even torture Muggles who are bound magically and cannot even begin to understand that something they believe is fiction is actually reality," the man snarled.

"Yesss...even that. Though that young man is...much more than a Muggle...he is an Elemental."

Silence for a moment.

"Dumbledore's gone and screwed himself over without realizing it."

"Again," the owner of the hissing voice replied, faintly amused.

"Again..." his host agreed, sighing and sitting back to watch a bit more before deciding whether he could trust the child or not. In the end, it could be the smallest thing that tipped the scale and send the young boy towards those who tortured his older brother for no good reason, or push him back to the people who were willing to accept his parents so long ago.

It probably would be too...

OoOoO

Evan woke from his slumber feeling...a bit strange. When he reached up to brush his long brown bangs out of his eyes, he saw, or rather, felt, why.

The ring he'd been given was resting on his index finger. He stared at it for a moment, then blinked, wondering if his eyes and hair really _had_ changed. A moment later, he decided it didn't matter, and he settled for studying the ring. Somehow, it felt...right, to be wearing it. And he could feel...something filling the gap that had been created in his heart when Amanda had been torn from him so cruelly. it wasn't one presence, it was...several.

One was a warm burn, like a fire in his chest. Another was calm, cool and serene, like a still, glassy lake. The third was strong and solid, much like a piece of stone. And the last wasn't quite a burn like the first - rather, it was a gentle glow.

Fire, water, earth, and light, he realized. So that's what Xavier and the others meant by a 'bond'.

Hana poked her head in to check on him, and smiled when she saw he was awake. "Well, good to see you've woken up! You must really have been drained - you've been out for two days. Welcome to July thirtieth, Evan! By the way, Lucius said you're not to leave that couch until he gives you the go-ahead. Apparently whatever Dumbles did strained your calf muscle to the point where it was nearly torn clean open." She paused, as if guessing he didn't know what this meant. "Think, almost ruptured Achilles tendon, and you'll get it." She grimaced when he blanched. "Yeah, it's not fun stuff. It'll take three to four months to heal, and even then...it may not heal fully."

Evan's eyes widened. Three to four months...and Zephyr's birthday...was tomorrow. And he hadn't...

"Hana," he said slowly, "if it's not too much trouble do you think you could...pick out a gift for my brother for me? His birthday's tomorrow - he's turning eleven - and what with everything that's happened I didn't get him anything..." He looked away guiltily, but Hana turned his face back towards her with a gentle hand. Her eyes, though unnerving, were warm and sympathetic.

"Don't be guilty, Evan," she murmured. "Just tell me what you had in mind, I'll get it. No worries."

He sighed softly. "I wanted to get him...a necklace." Before she could ridicule him, he went on, "With a silver howling wolf for a charm." He let his gaze slip passed her to rest on the wall behind her. "Wolves symbolize power and strength, cunning and courage...everything I see in my little brother, though he may not see it himself."

Hana was quiet for a moment, then she nodded with a small smile. "I'll get it. I promise you. But in the meantime...do you want to know how you've changed?"

He blinked a few times. "So...I have changed."

"Not by a lot. Your eyes are violet now, and your hair's darker brown and longer than it was."

Evan leaned his head on the armrest of the couch and let out a quiet sigh. "Will I be able to see my brother without him screaming and running at full-speed from the room?"

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic." Hana laughed off the question. "It'll be fine. You're still _you_, Evan - you've just changed a bit, and now you're just as magical as the rest of us." She shifted. "You need to know that the Darkness Elemental can hide in shadows and remain unnoticed until he or she wants to be seen. And you also need to know Xavier, Stryker, Deidrick and I will be helping you learn to control your gifts." Hana looked away briefly. "If we catch a lucky break, you'll be learning alongside the Air Elemental. If we don't, well, more time for you."

"Excuse me for not passing out from trying to contain the sheer joy," Evan said sarcastically, closing his eyes. "Where is Zephyr?" he asked after a minute of silence.

"Outside, playing with his serpent. Aylen, was that her name?" Hana paused to consider, before she shrugged slightly and smiled at Evan when he cracked open one eye to look at her. "Your brother's familiar is beautiful, Evan. Will you be getting one as well?"

"No," he murmured, closing his eye again. "I don't do well with animals. Aylen is more than enough." There was another pause. "Please," the brunette sighed, "when he comes back in, tell him I want to see him, alright?"

"Will do," Hana said softly as she stood to leave. "May I talk to you later?"

"If you wish."

"Goodbye for now, then." She hesitated just a second before she strode from the room, and Evan slipped into a light doze.

Man, torture sure took a lot out of a person...even being knifed hadn't kept him down for so long.

OoOoO

"My brother's the Darkness Elemental?" Zephyr asked, his eyes wide at what Aylen had just told him. His serpentine friend hissed a yes. Severus had brought here here the day before, to ease Zephyr's mind and save her from Dumbledore's rage that his prisoner and toy was gone.

_"I saw his aura, little speaker. Dark violet. I apologize for not saying so sooner, but you were...not ready to know. And neither was he."_ The black and red snake coiled more comfortably around his neck, and he unconsciously brought up a hand to stroke her smooth scales. _"The others you told me about, I am almost certain they are the Light, Earth, Water, and Fire Elementals."_ She lowered her voice as though speaking more to herself. _"But why are they here now? Surely the world is not so close to its end yet? But it must be - they are gathering. Why this is so, I cannot say..."_

Zephyr sighed. "This is all so confusing...at least I turn eleven tomorrow, and maybe Evan and I can have a day...a day that's at least partly normal.." Suddenly he clenched his fists. "Who am I kidding? It'll never be normal again...Evan is an Elemental. I'm just a normal wizard child," he sighed, looking up at the clear blue sky. "It's funny how we used to be so alike...and now we're so different..."

_"Never think that, koishii,"_ Aylen hissed sharply. _"You are still his nest mate. As he is yours. You are more alike than you know."_ She nudged his neck with her nose. _"Do not let this tear you apart. He needs you now. Do not turn away from him."_

Zephyr bit his lip, furiously blinking back tears. "It's all Dumbledore's fault," he choked. "I hate him. I hate him so much. I wish he could suffer like Evan did. I wish he'd just crawl into some place no one would ever find him to die..."

_"You do not know how much I agree with you, little speaker. However, I urge you to wait."_ The eyes of his snake friend glowed more brightly than usual as she lifted her head to look towards where they were staying for the time being. _"I sense...that this has only just begun."_

**-0-0-0-**

**-blinks- Um...I think I've been posessed. lol...enjoy your three new chapters, people. You deserve them.  
**


	24. XXIV

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

The following day, Zephyr was all but bouncing with excitement. It was his birthday! Lucius, Narcissa, Severus, Xavier, Hana, Stryker and Deidrick watched him with amusement as he annoyed his brother until Evan finally flicked him in the forehead with one finger and told him to sit down or he wouldn't get anything.

Now Zephyr was watching the clock impatiently. The adults were eating lunch now, calmly discussing things that Zephyr, in his state, dismissed as completely pointless.

"Alright then," Evan finally said, five minutes later, when everyone had finished their meal. He pushed himself into a sitting position, careful not to jostle his bad leg. "If Zephyr would stop bouncing and come here..." He looked up at Hana, who smiled and placed a small wrapped box in his hand, which he held out to his little brother. "Happy birthday, little one."

Zephyr paused before he took it, studying his older brother. The now-violet eyes were warm. This was the man who'd protected him his entire life, the one who'd raised him and nurtured him for eleven years now. "Go on," Evan urged gently, pressing the box into his hands.

Zephyr nodded and slid one finger under the paper covering his gift, tearing it off as slowly as he could bear to. When it was off, he opened the velvet-covered box to reveal something wrapped in tissue paper. With a curious look at Evan, he removed the paper and felt his eyes widen.

"Do you know what it stands for?" Evan murmured, leaning forward to cup his brother's chin in one hand. "Courage, cunning, power and strength. Every trait I know you have, and everything I see in you."

Zephyr nodded, still stunned, and looked back down to run his fingers over the charm in awe before he lifted it to show everyone.

The necklace itself was a silver chain, the links strong and not likely to break unless pulled on very forcefully. The charm...was beautiful. It was a silver wolf, standing proudly with its head thrown back to howl, ears laid flat against its skull. Its eye was a blood red ruby, and its fur was incredibly detailed. Behind its body was a crescent moon, just as detailed and beautiful as the wolf.

"Thank you," Zephyr whispered, reaching forward to embrace his older brother. "Thank you, big brother."

Evan smiled. "You're welcome. Now don't go getting all soft on me," he added. "There's more."

"More?"

The older man nodded, pulling away from the hug and looking up at his fellow Elementals. "Hana, Xavier, Deidrick and Stryker have something for you. And I believe, so does Severus." He grinned in response to the scowl he received.

Hana cleared her throat and held out a box identical in shape to the one he'd gotten from Evan. It was a bit bigger though. "From the Elementals, to you," she said with her usual warm smile. "The brother of one of us is the brother of us all. Though Stryker may not admit it," she added with a laugh, brushing off Stryker's glare with practiced ease.

Zephyr opened this one faster than the other, and when what was inside was revealed, he was extremely glad that his jaw was attached to his body. If it hadn't been, it would've hit the floor.

Hana laughed at his expression, as did Stryker. Though with Stryker, it was more tucking her chin into her neck and chuckling quietly. "Sit down before you fall down, kid," the Fire Elemental said, looking at him with a barely noticeable smirk. Zephyr did so, still staring at the gift.

It was an arm band, golden, and beautifully carved. There wasn't really a picture of anything, it was just kind of patterns. But it was beautiful all the same, and he uttered his thanks wholeheartedly.

"Stryker heated the metal and I shaped and carved it," Hana said, her eyes shining. "Xavier was the one who cooled it off." Zephyr blinked and looked up. She shrugged, grinning widely. "There are also charms worked into the metal and the patterns. I'll explain them after Severus has given his gift."

Severus rolled his eyes and nudged a gift towards the excited child with his foot. "Here, brat. Just don't jump on me."

When Zephyr had opened this one, he blinked before he launched himself at Severus, chanting his thanks over and over. The Potions master sighed and put up with it, knowing that it was going to happen.

Stryker leaned over the back of the couch to get a better look, before she shared an amused glance with Evan. "We're doomed," he deadpanned.

"Indeed," she agreed with an admirably straight face.

Severus had given Zephyr a book on how to make rock candy. A pretty _thick_ book, meaning it was probably extremely detailed. _May the world tremble,_ Evan thought, shaking his head.

OoOoO

_"What happened today, koishii?"_ Aylen hissed softly, slithering from her place under the dresser, where she'd decided she would stay until she wanted a change. _"You were very excited about something this morning."_ She looked up at him, her tongue flicking out.

Zephyr turned once he'd finished clasping Evan's necklace, turned to meet her bright yellow eyes and told her, "It's my birthday. I turned eleven today."

_"I see."_ Zephyr offered her his arm and she slithered up it to settle herself over his shoulders. _"Happy birth-day, then, little speaker."_ She was quiet for a moment, then she hissed, _"How is your nest mate? Is he better?"_

"I'd like to think so," Zephyr sighed. "But he won't be better for a while. In fact...he might never be better." He lifted a hand and trailed his fingers over her head and back. "What that man did to him...you don't just get up, and walk away with a smile and an 'I'm fine' from that. No one does." He took a shuddering breath. "I don't like to think that Evan might not be...my Evan anymore."

Aylen paused, then gently nuzzled his neck. _"If you would let me see him, little speaker, I think I can ease your mind. Not now, though. Tomorrow. Rest now."_

As Zephyr got into bed, he felt her slither from his shoulders. Then he sighed, and allowed sleep to take him.

OoOoO

She moved silently, alert for any sign the other humans were still with her human's injured nest mate. But it seemed there was no need. When she flicked out her tongue, she could taste only Zephyr's nest mate's scent, and when she got to where he was lying, he was dozing. Evan was his name, Zephyr had said.

Before her eyes, he was surrounded by a violet glow, and wisps of raw power, purple in color, danced lightly over his skin. That was his aura - the aura of the Darkness Elemental. He had a unique scent, that of lilacs and copper. Affection and shielding. An odd mix, but a good combination with Zephyr's scent of vanilla. Innocence. Her human would be well protected until he was ready to see the world for what it was.

Aylen flicked out her tongue and focused on the human's aura. It would tell her if he had been changed for the worse while he'd been missing. A human's aura never lied. She knew her eyes would be glowing, but she didn't particularly care. The others were asleep. They would not wake for a while.

At first she saw nothing. His aura was normal, on the surface. But that meant nothing. It could be normal on the surface, and there could be many, many problems underneath.

She looked a bit deeper, and she could see the horrors of his past. Scars, physical, mental, and emotional, that he would never get rid of. It saddened her to know that he was still hurting over the loss of his beloved and it angered her to know it had been a close friend of Evan's who had done much of this damage. She was sickened to see that the scars on his chest had been left with great joy on the one who'd held the knife's behalf. Yet still, this told her nothing. All of this was in the past. All of this had done damage, but it had also molded him into the man he was today.

Aylen pried still deeper, knowing her eyes would be glowing brighter as she searched for anything that could change Evan into something his brother wouldn't like. Now she was looking at his mind. And indeed, there was a problem.

Evan's mind was...deeply shaken. Aylen studied it carefully, but it seemed...he was stronger than anyone had known. Shaken, yes, but not cracked or broken. He would recover, given time. And now she was glad she had decided to do this now. Had she waited for the next day, it might have been impossible to catch this, for she would have been interrupted, no doubt. Now she could assure Zephyr there was nothing to worry about and be absolutely certain. Evan was fine.

Aylen withdrew and gave the human a lingering look. _"Interesting,"_ she hissed quietly to herself. _"If only mother could have seen that..."_ She looked up as Evan stirred, somewhat surprised. She could not have been at it for more than a few hours. Yet the man was propping himself up on his elbows, yawning and stretching as best as he could. How strange. It could not be even remotely close to dawn yet. So why was he awake?

She was sorely tempted to find out, but she resisted, and her departure to Zephyr's room was as silent as her arrival here.

**-0-0-0-**

**-blank stare- I. Must. Be. In. Sane. It's late, I _should_ be in bed, but I'm not even remotely tired and I don't want to be bored just yet... -sigh- Well, it's done now...enjoy, people.  
**


	25. XXV

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

The following week was a week of boredom for Evan. Though Hana had left several books within easy reach, he hadn't started any of them for lack of interest. The titles and summaries just didn't catch his eye. They were, in a word, plain. He knew he really shouldn't judge them as such just because of that...but he really couldn't bring himself to even read the first page. Most of the time, he could be found staring up at the ceiling, tracing patterns that weren't there with his eyes.

"Since you're about to go mad with boredom," Deidrick said lightly to the brunette man at the end of the week, "how do you feel about trying to stretch your leg a bit?"

"Oh, am I _allowed_ to now?" In spite of his words, Evan was relieved to be allowed to take the Earth Elemental's hand and get up off the couch.

"Not too far," Deidrick cautioned. "We don't want to do any more damage. It's necessary to stretch your leg now and then to be able to tell if you'll be on the couch for three months, a little longer than that, or the full four it sometimes takes. Well, that and we don't want you cussing us out as you'd be likely to start doing," he added with a grin.

Evan couldn't help his small return smile. Then he sighed and asked, "How far?"

"We're starting small. So just to the other end of the couch and back, if you think you can manage it."

Evan nodded. He sucked in a breath and started walking. One foot, then the other. _Ouch._ Pain shot through him and he bit his lip against a wince. That didn't _feel_ any better. In fact it was almost worse, like the muscle had stiffened up. One foot, then the other. Another stab of pain. One, two. Ouch. One, two. Ouch.

He'd reached the far end of the couch, and his calf muscle was giving off sharp throbs of protest. Deidrick was watching, one hand half reached toward him, ready to grab him if he stumbled.

"Can you go on?" the blonde man asked. Evan merely nodded, not trusting his voice to be steady. He refused to sit, though his injured leg was demanding he take a break. He turned, prompting another stab of pain. One, two. _Ouch_. He felt his leg giving out, felt himself losing his balance...

His shoulder was grasped firmly and he was pushed onto the couch. Then he was staring into worried forest green eyes. "You _moron_," Deidrick muttered with an accompanying roll of the eyes. "You should've stopped. If you push yourself too hard it'll probably hurt the muscle further and take even _longer_ to heal. Idiot."

Evan bared his teeth in a half-hearted growl. "Excuse me for being eager to walk again after being kept on this damned couch for longer than a week."

"You're excused," Deidrick deadpanned. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"A bit thirsty, actually," Evan admitted, leaning his head against the back of the couch. Best not push his luck. At least he was being allowed to sit up.

"Water or juice?"

"Water's fine."

"Be right back, then," Deidrick said, leaving with a small smile.

OoOoO

Zephyr was, yet again, outside with Aylen. He couldn't have explained why he was drawn out of the house. Maybe it was the opportunity to talk with his snake without being overheard, or maybe he just liked being outside. This time, however, he and Aylen weren't alone.

"So...you're a Parselmouth."

Zephyr jumped badly and whirled to face the speaker. To his surprise, he saw no one, until he looked up. Stryker was standing on a tree branch six feet from the ground, leaning against the trunk as if it wasn't a big deal. She was also eying him as though he was an extremely interesting puzzle that she was determined to figure out.

As he stared at her with wide eyes, she gave a careless shrug. "It's alright. I won't tell anyone. I'm just curious as to how long you've been speaking to serpents..." Her gaze passed over Aylen, and Zephyr felt the snake shift a bit. "It's such a unique trait. I'd say I envied you it, if I were to have a snake as a familiar."

"I...I didn't know I could speak to snakes until I met Aylen..." he offered uncertainly.

"Ah. Not so long, then." She paused, and her flame-colored eyes lingered on the serpent curled around his neck. "It's considered a Dark gift, being able to speak Parseltongue...snake language...yet, truth be told..." Her eyes locked onto his. "It's really not Dark at all. Most wizards can speak to some type of animal or another. Be it birds, snakes, or felines."

She pushed off the tree and leaped from her branch, before walking forward to stand in front of him. There was no hesitation when she reached out to brush her fingers over Aylen's back. Zephyr could almost literally feel the warmth of fire radiating from her hand. "She's beautiful, by the way. You should be honored," Stryker added to Zephyr, taking back her hand. "Take good care of her. I can tell the bond between you is already remarkably strong."

Zephyr nodded, somewhat surprised. Stryker was usually silent, watchful. Closed off. This was the most he'd heard her say since he'd met her. "Can...can you speak to animals?" he asked softly.

She paused, her eyes searching his. "Yes, I can. So can Xavier."

"Will you tell me which kind?" Zephyr asked, rubbing Aylen's head with gentle fingers.

Stryker seemed to deliberate before she reached up to brush her greenish-black hair from her eyes. "I can speak to birds of prey," she admitted after a short pause. "Very interesting conversationalists, they are. In fact, in a past life, I had one as a familiar. He was a red-tailed hawk, named Apollo. He was with me for the entirety of that life, but I haven't taken another familiar since." When Zephyr asked why, she said simply, "There will never be another like him." She glanced past him. "The others will be looking for us. Shall we head inside?"

OoOoO

At some point, Xavier, Hana, Deidrick, Lucius and Narcissa had joined Evan, and Severus had shown up to see how he'd been doing. As he'd sipped at the drink Deidrick had brought him, they'd talked about little things, the others knowing that if they didn't include Evan, at some point he'd try to get up. Pushing himself further than he'd done when they'd stretched out the muscle earlier, was not a very good idea at this point.

Evan choked and spat out the last of his water in shock when Zephyr jumped him, yelling, "Hi, Evan!" For a minute, everyone stared at the dark spot on the carpet in surprise, and Severus winced, knowing how Lucius could get about his home. But before things could turn ugly, Stryker chuckled softly, breaking the tense silence. Heads turned toward her, none of them having noticed her or Zephyr come in.

"The brat missed you, apparently, despite the fact that you've been in the same spot for more than a week, and we've only been outside for about fifteen minutes," she offered, which caused Hana to laugh brightly, Deidrick to chuckle, and Xavier to grin. Even Severus cracked a smile, though it was more like a smirk. A house-elf arrived to clean the mess, and shortly they were all chatting again.

OoOoO

Later, Xavier knocked softly on Stryker's door. When she called, "it's open," he turned the knob and stepped into her room. He barely spared a glance for it all - he knew how it was done. Red and black painted walls, cranberry-colored carpet, red bedsheets and a gray blanket. She was standing by the single window, gazing outside, and didn't turn when he shut the door behind him.

"Been talking to Evan's brother?" he asked quietly after a moment. They hadn't shown up together by coincidence, and Stryker had told everyone that they'd only been outside for fifteen minutes. Usually she liked to make it sound as if she'd been off by herself.

"Yes." She still wasn't facing him. She must've been deep in thought. Stryker was like that - when she was thinking about something and she wanted to look at it from every angle, she would often turn to the nearest window and just stare outside. Not much could get her to look away until she was done. it was one of those little things that made Stryker...well, Stryker. "He's a very interesting kid. I'd like to get to know him better."

Now Xavier was surprised. That wasn't something Stryker said about everybody she met. "Why's that?" he questioned. She turned her head to look at him for the first time. Ah, good. She was done thinking, then. Maybe she'd share her thoughts, if he didn't press her to know what she'd been turning over in her mind.

"For one, he's not a normal wizard," Stryker said matter-of-factly. "He's but a child, and yet his aura is so strong that I could almost feel the raw magic around him. To the wizard world, and the two sides of the war, he is probably the most powerful human ally one could ever hope to have. Whoever he chooses to support will be the more likely to triumph." She paused and studied the nails of one hand. "And...he's a Parselmouth." She seemed to catch the widening of Xavier's blue eyes, for she went on, "I heard him talking to his snake friend today. He truly is...remarkable." She looked back out of the window and fell silent.

Xavier let the quiet reign for a minute before he murmured, "No wonder Dumbledore was desperate enough to bring him to Hogwarts. He must've been trying to get Zephyr to see what he'd be calling home come September."

"Only Zephyr didn't react the way Dumbledore thought he would," Stryker sighed, undoubtedly putting the pieces together in her mind. "So he must've gotten increasingly desperate, until..."

"Until he kidnapped Evan," Xavier growled, clenching his hands and feeling his nails bite into his palms. "Dumbledore locked him up in that...that _place_ and tortured him. He was probably trying to break his mind."

"And had he succeeded, he probably would've sent Evan back to Zephyr with the notion that Dumbledore was the one they should stay with and fight for." Stryker finsihed, letting out a long, slow hiss of rage and hatred. "He didn't count on us coming back. In fact, he probably hadn't even been born the last time we saved the world from destruction..."

"He probably thought we were just a kid's story."

"Or he hadn't heard of us," Stryker sighed. "Either way, we'd better stay away from him. There's no telling what'll happen if he catches one of us and somehow gets Evan's location. I don't think he'd ever recover mentally if he took another beating like that..." She shivered, and without thinking about it, Xavier moved forward until he could carefully embrace her from behind. When she didn't protest or move away, he rested his chin on her shoulder and let out a quiet sigh.

"We won't let him be hurt like that again. It's our duty to protect each other," he murmured, closing his eyes and just listening to her breathing. At one point in a past life, they'd been romantically close. But fire and water would always be opposites, and they'd let it die with the both of them saying that just being friends was enough for both of them. Yet for him, there was still something...some remnant of those feelings for her. Feelings he knew she didn't return.

When Stryker shifted, he let go and took a step back. Her eyes were just as bright as ever as she turned to face him, and there was regret, but no hesitance in them as she said quietly, "You know why it won't work out between us, Xavier. Fire and water never mix. Please..." She seemed to be facing some sort of internal struggle, even as she reached up and rested a hand on his cheek. "Forget how you once felt about me. You're only hurting yourself."

"I can't forget, Stryker," he whispered, hearing his own voice crack as he gently wrapped his fingers around her wrist. After a moment, he let her take her hand back, his eyes locked on hers. "You know I loved you then...and I still do."

"Then let me go," she whispered, looking away as if unable to go on meeting his gaze. "Let go of the past, Xavier. It's not doing you any good to dwell on what happened a long time ago. I'm sorry." She suddenly looked back at him. "But what once was, never shall be again."

Xavier winced a bit at her harsh words, even if she hadn't meant to hurt him. "Very well then," he murmured, taking another step away from her, gazing into her eyes for just one more moment. She was beautiful...and she would never feel the same way. Then he turned and opened the door, walking away from the woman that, once upon a time, had been his entire world.

**-0-0-0-**

**Yeah, it's true - Xavier and Stryker were together. And no, it's **_**not**_** something I threw in last-minute. Xavier's conflict will be **_**very**_** important when we start to reach the end of Zephyr's last year. And the end of ****Serpentine****. But that's not for a while, so enjoy that small spoiler.**


	26. XXVI

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Griffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Draco poked his head into Zephyr's room. He'd been curious for a while now about the new kid in his house. But his lessons with his father and Severus prevented him from getting a chance to speak to him. Now, however, he was free, and he had a million questions.

The raven-haired child was sitting on his bed, looking at the arm band he was wearing and tracing the designs with a finger. A necklace hung from his neck, the charm both a moon and a wolf. He hadn't noticed Draco yet. "Hi," Draco said, more curious than ever. "Can I come in?" he added when Zephyr turned his head to see who had spoken.

"Sure." Zephyr shrugged. "Come in, sit down, just don't step on Aylen. She's around here somewhere."

"Aylen?" Draco questioned even as he entered the room, studying it as if he expected something to pop out at him.

"My snake," Zephyr explained as Draco sat next to him on the bed. Vibrantly green eyes met dove gray. "So what brings you here?" He paused and added, more curiously, "And who are you?"

"Oh! I'm sorry," Draco apologized. He held out his hand. "I'm Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy." Zephyr took his hand and shook it.

"I'm Zephyr Ventulus," he introduced himself in return. "Brother of Evan Ventulus."

Draco cocked his head. "Brother...you don't look a thing like him," he said, even as his eyes took in the black hair, childish facial features, and green eyes.

Zephyr folded his legs Indian-style and met Draco's eyes as he replied, "We're not really related by blood. But he's raised me since I was a baby, so I've come to see him as an older brother, and he sees me as a younger brother." He shrugged.

"What do you mean," Draco said slowly, "he's raised you since you were a baby?"

"He didn't kidnap me, if that's what you're thinking," Zephyr defended. "No, he found me."

"_Found_ you!" the blonde-haired child gasped, his hazel eyes widening. "Where?"

"In an alley," the black-haired boy responded. "A little-known alley. I would've died if he hadn't found me and taken me to where he was living."

"He doesn't look much older than eighteen," Draco murmured. "Just how old was _he_, if you were a baby?"

Zephyr paused. "He was eleven," he confided after a minute. "And he didn't know what to do with me for a while. But he figured it out after a day of watching mothers and their babies." He grinned and added, "He's pretty smart."

Draco gaped. "He took care of a _baby_ when he was just _our_ age?" he whispered.

"Yeah. Pretty unbelievable, huh?"

Zephyr shrugged and Draco managed to close his mouth. For a while, they just sat in comfortable silence Then Draco asked, "So...your snake?"

Zephyr smiled faintly. "Her name's Aylen, and she's just about the best friend I have." At that moment, a soft hissing came from the other side of the bed. Zephyr paused and leaned over, and by the time he leaned back, a thin serpent was resting on his shoulders. "This is Aylen. Aylen, this is Draco. Play nice, now."

Draco studied the snake. About three feet long, slender, flame-like red markings, bright yellow eyes. He noticed that when it hissed, Zephyr cocked his head slightly, as though listening to someone behind him speaking quietly in his ear. It clicked suddenly - Zephyr must be a Parselmouth.

"What's it saying?" Draco asked casually, and Zephyr jumped, looking startled. As if he didn't expect someone to know he understood the snake when it spoke in its own way.

"She...she says that you don't have to look at her as if she's about to bite you, because she isn't." Zephyr paused, and suddenly grinned as his snake kept on hissing. "And some other things I probably shouldn't repeat."

Draco blinked. Then slowly, he smiled too. Zephyr was an oddball, all right. But a nice oddball. "Well, Zephyr," Draco said as he stood to leave. "I have lessons soon with Severus, but...maybe we could talk later?"

"Sure," was the easy reply. "Come back anytime."

"And, Zephyr." Draco paused at the door and looked back to meet those unusually bright green eyes. "I look forward to having class with you at Hogwarts." Then he left, to find his godfather.

OoOoO

Hermione Granger was not stupid, by any measure. No, she was quite intelligent. She loved books, loved reading, and loved learning. All through school she got good grades. She paid attention in class, enjoyed the thrill of getting an answer to a question right. Yet, now she found herself struggling. Her entire life, she'd believed that magic didn't exist. But now...now she was being forced to rethink everything. She was sitting in her room, turning over her copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ in her hands. She was also thinking of the incident with Zephyr and Evan that had taken place a month ago.

The headmaster of Hogwarts seemed, at first glance, a kind and grandfatherly man. He'd treated both herself and Ron Weasley as if they were his own children. He'd been talking to Evan and Zephyr as if he truly wanted them to see that they were safer at Hogwarts...yet there was something just below the surface, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was the same thing she'd caught a glimpse of when he'd turned up a month ago on her doorstep, smiling and asking to see Hermione.

_Hermione opened the door to see a man she'd never encountered. At first she just blinked at him, racking her brain to see if her parents had any friends who looked like this. When she realized they didn't, she grew scared. She remembered to ask, "Can I help you?" Even as she said it, her mind began to race, and her heart began to pound against her ribs. Who was this?_

_"Are you Hermione Granger?"_

_Her eyes widened. "Yes, I'm Hermione...how do you know my name?"_

_He smiled at her. "Relax, dear child. I simply want to talk. I am Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."_

_Hermione hunched her shoulders and snapped, "Magic doesn't exist. Now go away, before I call the _police_ and have you _arrested_." Before she could slam the door, he produced a book and held it out to her._

_"Before I go, take this, Ms. Granger. Then decide for yourself, whether or not magic exists." His light blue eyes twinkled at her, and she resisted the urge to flinch away. Beneath the look there was something that she didn't like. Without giving him an answer, she said goodbye and shut the door. It was rude, but she didn't like the feeling she'd been getting._

_Then she realized she was still holding the book, and to satisfy her curiosity, she peeked at the title. "Hmm..._Hogwarts: A History_." When she flipped open the front cover, she realized there was an envelope inside._

_No, not just an envelope. A letter, addressed to _her_._

_Hermione nearly dropped the book. That old man had _planned_ this whole thing._

Hermione scowled at the book she was holding, half hoping it would burst into flames. Dumbledore had planned that encounter, and he'd planned for her and Ron to get on Zephyr's good side, and show Evan that Zephyr would do well with children he'd never met before and who had never met him.

Somehow, she got the feeling that Dumbledore was more than he seemed.

She sighed and set aside the book. She could only hope that no one would get hurt, come September first...


	27. XXVII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

The following month leading up to Zephyr's depatrure was a month of boredom for Evan. Though Stryker, Deidrick, Hana, Stryker, and Zephyr were always willing to sit and talk with him, and Hana had provided some interesting books, and he knew that as soon as he was able to walk again he'd begin training to hone his Element, being confined to this couch was slowly but surely driving him mad. Soon he lost track of the days, as he felt it was no longer necessary to know whether it was Wednesday or Friday, because he knew what he'd be doing on both days - _lying here_.

Before he knew it, though, it was September first. Yesterday, Lucius and Narcissa, who Evan had gotten to know quite well, had offered to take Zephyr with them when they dropped off their son at the station. Evan had agreed, though he hated to be away from his little brother.

And speaking of Draco and Zephyr, they'd become good friends. You hardly ever saw one without the other, and Aylen was usually with them as well. Lately, Zephyr had been telling Evan what Draco had been telling him - about the four Houses at Hogwarts, mostly. From time to time, when Aylen hissed, Zephyr would slip and cock his head towards her as if he could understand. The fourth time this had happened, Evan had called him on it, leading to Stryker announcing that Zephyr was a Parselmouth. He could understand and talk to snakes. After the shock of finding out magic was real in such a painful way, this seemed to be a cool gift to Evan.

Evan had to fight off a smile when he remembered how Zephyr had begged Severus to let him bring Aylen, when the profesor had told him students weren't allowed to bring pets or familiars that were potentially dangerous to other students. Eventually, Severus had caved, but on the conditions that Aylen wouldn't bite anyone without just provocation, and that she wouldn't be allowed to wander. Zephyr had agreed.

Now, the brunet watched without a word as his brother, Draco, and Draco's parents prepared to leave. Zephyr hadn't said goodbye to Evan yet, but he was wearing the necklace Evan had given him, and the arm band from the Elementals was on his left forearm. The book on how to make rock candy, not even halfway read even after a month, had been packed with his other school things. From time to time, Zephyr clasped the wolf charm in one hand, or ran a finger over the carvings on the band.

Aylen rested on Draco's shoulders, as comfortable as she was with the blond boy as she was with Zephyr. She seemed to be looking at everything, yet her bright yellow eyes never moved or blinked. It had become normal to see the snake, too, and watching her ready to leave with Zephyr was like watching his life slowly being taken from him, to Evan.

Movement suddenly caught Evan's attention. Zephyr was making his way over to him, one hand wrapped around the charm on his necklace. His striking green eyes were troubled and unhappy. _Does he feel it too?_ Evan wondered. _Or has he had another of his dreams?_

Just two nights ago, there had been a repeat performance of the strange incident when Zephyr had awoken, gasping, describing things he hadn't done or had no way of knowing about. This time, he'd been saying that a "man in a turban" had been talking to himself, but Zephyr couldn't hear the words, and he didn't know who the man was. Then the turban-man had been there again, shouting something Zephyr couldn't hear before he fainted. And a "trap door"...something about being careful. When he'd come to awareness, Stryker had carried him to Evan's side and the brunet had been worriedly soothing his little brother and asking about the dreams. Zephyr had responded, looking confused, that he only knew that when he was around the trap door, he hadn't been alone, and he'd had the sense that something dangerous was nearby. A minute later, he'd fallen back to sleep, and when he'd woken again, he didn't remember a thing.

But Zephyr hadn't woken last night. So Evan propped himself up on one elbow enough that he was leaning against the arm of the couch. His gaze locked with Zephyr's before the boy leaned forward and wrapped his arms around him. The brunet blinked in surprise, before he returned the hug, wanting to keep this child close to him but knowing it was impossible. He could feel Zephyr burying his face in his shoulder, and reflexively tightened his grip protectively.

"I'd rather stay here, Evan," the boy whispered.

"And I'd rather keep you here," Evan murmured back. "But something tells me that if you don't go, we'll have one very angry old man on our backs. Besides...you'll be with Draco, and you've got Aylen to keep you company when he can't. And if you need to talk to me, find Professor Snape. He'll let you come back here for a while."

Zephyr nodded slightly, and Evan released him. "Go on. Be careful, good luck, don't forget to write, feed Aylen, and avoid that old coot as much as possible. All that jazz." He ruffled Zephyr's hair lightly, affectionately, then nudged him towards Lucius.

"I'll do that," the kid said with a slightly shaky smile. "Bye, Evan."

"See you soon, little brother." _I hope,_ Evan added silently, watching the group leave .

OoOoO

"Goodbye, Zephyr, Draco," Narcissa said, hugging them both, to Zephyr's surprise.

He had to smile at her. "Bye, Mrs. Malfoy. And thank you. For everything."

"Think nothing of it," the blonde woman said, returning the smile. "It was nice having another child at our home, and never once in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get to see the return of the Elementals. It was a pleasure." He nodded, his smile widening a bit, and she turned to say goodbye to her son. Zephyr looked away politely as Narcissa kissed her son's cheek, pretending to be studying the stone wall that they'd somehow walked through. _Must be more magic,_ he thought.

"Come on, Zephyr," Draco said a moment later. "You want to get a good seat, right?"

"Lead the way," Zephyr said, folowing when the blond boy strode toward the train.

OoOoO

Ron Weasley had seen Harry Potter arrive. He'd been with his brothers, Fred and George, when Lucius Malfoy walked onto the scene. The blonde woman with him must have been his wife, and the boy his son. And with them had been the black-haired, green-eyed child known to the world as the Boy-Who-Lived.

Potter had arrived with the Malfoys, been hugged by Lucius Malfoy's wife, and was now chatting comfortably and looking for a seat with the Malfoy heir!

It wasn't enough that Ron had been rejected by the Potter boy. It wasn't enough to be threatenedby that...monster who called himself Potter's older brother. No, the final, crushing blow had to be dealt, and now Ron watched as his shot at fame, at being recognized like his older brothers, bonded with father's enemy's son.

Oh, great...what was Dumbledore going to think?

OoOoO

"Here looks good," Draco commented, peering into an empty compartment. He pulled the door open and dragged his trunk inside. Zephyr followed, watching as Aylen shifted restlessly under Draco's collar. She wanted to be put down.

"Easy, girl. Just a few more minutes," Zephyr murmured soothingly. With Draco's help, they got settled comfortably. Their feet rested on their trunks, the storage space for them above ignored, and Aylen, hissing happily, slithered from Draco's shoulders to rest on the seat next to him. Gently the blond picked her up and passed her to Zephyr, who settled her in his lap, where she coiled contentedly.

"I can't get over how beautiful she is," Draco breathed, his gray eyes tracing the serpent's flame-like markings.

Zephyr had to smile. "I _still_ haven't,. She's a very lovely snake," he added, trailing his fingertips over her back and head. "I wouldn't give her up for the world."

Draco watched the pair for a moment, then said softly, "You're a smart kid. I wouldn't either."

Zephyr grinned. "Evan was my teacher. He's a very smart guy."

A timid knock made them turn their heads, and Zephyr hurriedly put one hand close to Aylen's head. She slithered up his sleeve as Draco called for the person to come in. The door slid open, and Zephyr met a pair of brown eyes that suddenly widened in shock.

They spoke at the same time. "You..."


	28. XXVIII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

Hermione stared at the familiar face and didn't know whether to run or scream. Slowly, she calmed enough to study. Yes, the unruly black hair, and the bright green eyes were definitely the same. There was something different, though. Around his neck was a silver chain, and hanging from it was some sort of charm that she couldn't make out from this angle. Around his left forearm was a golden band that was beautifully carved with different patterns. And there was the sheathe, the hilt, of the dagger he'd pulled out that day in the hospital wing. He caught her looking, but no attempt was made to hide the Ventulus was sitting not three feet from her, looking like an innocent child. But underneath the surface was tension, because he would defend himself if necessary. Into the silence, Hermione breathed, "I know you."

He moved, but just as she was prepared for him to pull out his dagger, it turned out he was holding up his hands, palms out, in a gesture of peace. "Steady," he said, and his voice was not threatening. "I'm not here to settle old scores. Well..." he smiled, and Hermione caught some bitterness in it. "Not with you."

The blond boy had watched the interaction with interest, and now asked, "You know her?"

The raven haired boy shifted so his dagger was hidden from view. It was pretty obvious, Hermione thought, that he hadn't wanted any adult to know he had it until it was too late to stop him. Not even his brother. "Yeah. Draco, Hermione. Hermione, Draco," Zephyr said. "I met her, you could say, at Hogwarts."

"Ah." Draco's nod told hermione that Zephyr had told _him_ all about the incidents. He extended a hand towards Hermione. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Hermione returned, shaking his hand. She wanted to get to know both of these boys, but something held her back. She knew Zephyr was dangerous - and extremely so. And there was something about Draco that made her kind of...uneasy.

"Well, don't just stand there," Zephyr said, breaking the awkward silence. "Sit down, get comfortable." Hermione sat next to him, and turned to study him more closely. He returned the curious look.

It wasn't hard, Hermione knew, to read some people. They wore their hearts on their sleeves and their emotions were always expressed in some way or another. They just couldn't hide what they were feeling, no matter how hard they were more difficult. You usually had to look them right in the eyes to guess what they were thinking or feeling. They could blank their faces entirely, or build some sort of mask, but usually they didn't know how to mask their emotions well enough to deaden their eyes. Then, still others could appear to have faces carved of stone. Their very eyes would become like glittering gemstones. It took a very, very skilled reader to guess at their feelings, or you had to know them well.

Zephyr seemed to be of the second group. His eyes were curious, thoughtful, as well as watchful, yet his face was merely friendly.

As Hermione looked deeper, she found that there was...pain there, too. There was a shadow in his gaze, something that haunted his mind. Something had happened since she'd seen him last. Something that had hurt him and was still hurting.

Zephyr spoke first. "Something is troubling you."

Hermione felt her eyes widen in surprise. He sounded so...sure. "And you as well," she returned. To her surprise, that made him crack a faint smile.

"You're good, Hermione," he murmured. He fell silent, and began to play with his fingers, his expression far-off.

When she looked up at Draco in question, he explained, "Last month Dumbledore got his hands ton Evan. Evan was tortured, hurt very badly, and he still hasn't fully recovered. A few...friends are helping. But he may never walk without a limp again."

Hermione swallowed. "S-severed nerve?" she whispered.

Thankfully, he shook his head. But her shock returned when Draco said, "Very badly strained calf muscle, my dad said. Apparently, a tendon in his leg was almost snapped. He should be walking again in two or three months."

Hermione took in a shuddering breath. "I'm so sorry," she murmured. "Please, when you see him next, tell him I hope that he heals quickly?"

Zephyr looked back up at her with a faint smile. "I'll do that."

The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful. They chatted quietly, until they had to change into their robes, at which point they took turns changing inside the compartment.

When the train stopped, Hermione looked at the other two. One of them had tried to kill her, and the other she had just met, but she felt as though she could call them friends. "See you inside?" she offered. When they nodded, she turned and wove her way through the crowd of students leaving the train.

OoOoO

The boys watched Hermione's retreating figure, both sharing one thought - that had been much too close. Somehow, no matter how lovely Aylen was, they had the sense that the sight of her would only cause pandemonium. As they began to follow the other students, Draco spoke. "She's a Mudblood."

Zephyr blinked at him "A what?"

"Mudblood - it means dirty blood. It's what some pureblood families call those who are born from non-magical people. Muggles. It's not the nicest way to put it, but..." the blond shrugged. "Mudbloods and Muggles are steadily killing off the magic of our world."

The boys stepped off the train and followed the flow of students that looked about their age. As they walked, Zephyr simply said, "Explain."

"Alright." Draco looked upwards for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "What I'm about to say, Severus - Professor Snape," he added, "and my father told me, and parts of it I don't understand myself." He drew in a breath and glanced at Zephyr, just as a loud voice split the quiet, making both of them jump.

"Firs' years this way, please! Firs' years over here!"

They headed towards the voice, and Draco cleared his throat. "As I was saying, the Elementals were born from the six warring elements, as you know. They were known as the raw powers. Their magic was pure, and they had abilities witches and wizards today can't even begin to dream of. Because," Draco added, climbing into a boat with Zephyr and two other students, "their blood was undiluted. And they _still_ have those abilities. They're _still_ the purest, no matter how they were born this time. However, they need special training to unlock those abilities, training only they can put each other through. Anything less than an Elemental would die if put through their training. Anyway, after non-magical humans - Muggles - came around, one of the Elementals fell in love with a pure human girl. One day they were caught while meeting, and they had to flee. But a year later, they were back...and with a _daughter_ to boot. She was the first half-blood. Half magical, half not, she was still more powerful than any half-blood today. The ones we of this time call half-bloods barely hold a fraction of the power she controlled." As the boats began to move forward, Draco was briefly distracted, but he went on after a moment, "The reason for that is because the blood, and the magic, has become so _mixed_ with non-magical blood, that the magic has been steadily decreasing every generation. Mudbloods, half-bloods, pure-bloods...they are all nothing compared to the first. Name the most powerful wizard you know, and he or she won't have close to what the _first_ had."

Zephyr thought about that a moment. Then he said slowly, "Mudbloods...have they been born to wizards who have stopped being born with magic?"

"Exactly," Draco breathed. "That's why they're so _rare_, Zephyr. They're random bursts of magic in a long-dead line! If we kept the Muggles out, and the magic _in_, we could hold onto the magic that runs in our veins for just a bit longer. So that when the Elementals save the world again...we'll be ready to start over."

Zephyr let out a long breath. "It...makes sense," he admitted.

_"A lot of sense,"_ Aylen put in quietly. _"You chose well when you started making friends with him,"_ she added to Zephyr.

"What's she saying?" Draco asked as quietly as Aylen.

Zephyr smiled and murmured, "She says I picked my first friend well."

"Cool. Odd to have a snake's approval, but cool."

The green-eyed child laughed, only to jump badly once more when the same voice called, "Heads down!" They all ducked, but as he bent his head Zephyr got the odd sense that they were all being watched. The feeling intensified as they entered a dark tunnel that opened out into a small bay. He could feel his heart beginning to pound against his ribs. Every muscle in his body had tensed, and not even Aylen's soft, soothing hiss could relax him.

_I don't want to be here!_ The words were practically screamed in his mind.

"Steady," Draco whispered, seemingly catching on to his friend's unease. But the memories - and the feeling of being watched - wouldn't go away. Not even when they climbed out of their boat onto a pebbly shore that sloped up to a large door.

_"Easy, koishii..."_ Aylen hissed, her forked tongue flicking his ear. _"Be calm. If that man you so despise sees that he has gotten to you, he will use that against you. Do not hand him that victory. I know you are a fighter."_

"Yeah," Zephyr whispered, not surprised in the least that his voice shook a bit. "I'm a fighter."

_"I don't believe you,"_ Aylen murmured. Her small head nuzzled his neck gently. _"Be brave."_

Zephyr paused, then repeated in a stronger, fiercer whisper, "I'm a fighter."

Aylen was right. He _could_ do this. He had to, for there was really no choice. And if it turned out he couldn't...well, he would go to Professor Snape, and his brother in turn. He would try this. For Evan.

He tried his hardest not to flinch when three loud knocks resounded in the near silence. And he thought, yet again, that he really, _really_ didn't want to do this.


	29. XXIX

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

The door swung open, revealing a tall woman in emerald green robes. She fixed them all with a stern look, and Zephyr tried not to let his uneasiness at being back here show in his expression. Zephyr barely spared a glance at the man who had led them here, unusually big was he was, when the booming voice said, "The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." The woman, apparently Professor McGonagall, led them all into the castle, past a set of doors through which voices could be heard, and into a small room off the entranceway. She began speaking, but Zephyr zoned out, already wishing he was back with Evan and the others. When the chattering started, he snapped back to attention.

"She just explained the four Houses," Draco breathed. "Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Where do you think you'd go?"

"I dunno," Zephyr murmured. "I'd rather go _home_."

"I know," Draco replied. "But if you didn't come, the old man would come looking for _you_, and with Evan and the others, we can't afford that."

Zephyr nodded, swallowing hard. He absolutely _hated_ this place. As McGonagall led them into a long hall, Zephyr's eyes automatically scanned the room twice - once for possible escape routes, and once for sources of confrontation, before his gaze landed on the old man himself. Zephyr clenched his jaw almost painfully. Only Aylen's steady hissing and Draco's hand on his shoulder stopped him from bolting. He had to do this, to protect his brother. But that didn't mean he was going to like it.

McGonagall was speaking, but in his struggle for control over the urge to run or kill Dumbledore, Zephyr missed what she said. Draco's grip on his shoulder tightened until it was almost painful, and Aylen gave his neck a gentle squeeze to calm him.

The next few minutes passed in a haze for Zephyr. When Aylen gently nudged his neck, he snapped out of it in time to hear McGonagall call out, "Perks, Sally-Anne!"

A girl moved forward and put on the old, tattered hat resting on a battered stool. A rip opened like a wide mouth, and Zephyr missed what it called out. Then...

"Potter, Harry!"

Zephyr quickly bit the inside of his cheek to keep from making a face. Across the hall, Draco kept a straight face, though his eyes were slightly narrowed. Anyone who didn't know him well would think he was eager to meet _the_ Harry Potter, but Zephyr caught the flash of anger that flickered in his friend's hazel eyes despite the fact that they weren't standing next to each other anymore.

The whispers that had started as soon as the name was uttered were quickly turning into puzzled and angry shouts. Dumbledore got to his feet, and Zephyr refused to look at the man. "Harry Potter, step forward, please." Silence fell. Zephyr silently counted down from five in his head, knowing Dumbledore would be looking right at him. Before he reached three, Dumbledore spoke again. "There's no need to be shy."

Eventually, things calmed down - Zephyr assumed because he didn't respond to the names "Harry" or "Potter". He locked eyes with Draco as the last child was Sorted and leaned casually against the all. Of course, the name "Ventulus, Zephyr" had not been called, something that both amused and irritated Zephyr to no end. The old fool was still as blind or willfully ignorant as he was when he'd first kidnapped him and Evan.

Just as McGonagall was about to move forward and take the hat away, it called, "Zephyr Ventulus, will you allow me the honor of Sorting you?"

Zepyr fought hard to contain his mirth at Dumbledore's expression, though a glance at Draco showed that his friend was smirking. "Of course," the black-haired child murmured. Soft as the reply was, it carried easily in the dead silence. He strode forward, listening only to Aylen's soft hissing. As he sat on the stool and felt the hat slip down over his head to cover his eyes, his focus was solely on her.

"Hmm..." said a voice in his ear. Zephyr nearly jumped out of his skin. "Very difficult. Plenty of courage, not a bad mind...talent, oh, yes, plenty of that. And an interesting thirst to prove yourself...oh, my."

An image of Evan right after the Elementals had found him was flickering behind Zephyr's eyelids. _Evan didn't deserve that,_ he thought fiercely.

"No, he didn't...and he's...I see. Well, where to put you, Mr. Ventulus?"

_Wherever you think is best,_ Zephyr thought.

"In that case, you'll do your best work and make your true friends in SLYTHERIN!"

Zephyr nodded to himself, and pulled off the hat as he stood. As he walked over to Draco, he could feel the stares of everyone in the hall digging into his back. He didn't care. Let them stare. As he sat down next to Draco and traded smiles with his friend, he found he was actually calm for the first time since he left Evan.

**-0000-**

**Hey guys, Steely here. I have to say I'm sorry for both the lateness AND the shortness of this chapter. I hit a bit of writer's block, and only just now got around to finishing it. :( Sorry, sorry, sorry! next chapter will be longer, I promise.**


	30. XXX

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? HA! That's a laugh. If I owned HP, Snape wouldn't have died, but he DID, so obviously, I DON'T own HP.

OoOoO

_'Dear Evan,_

_'I'm borrowing Draco's owl to send this. His name's Robur. Draco told me that means 'strength' in Latin. Is he right?_

_'It hasn't even been a week and I'm already missing you. Professor Snape told me that Lucius told him that you're doing better every day, and I hope he's right. Some day, I'm going to kill Dumbles for hurting you. Are you really doing better? (Don't lie and say you are if you're actually worse.)_

_'Speaking of Dumbles, he's tried to talk to me twice already. But I've told him I don't want to talk to him. Now Draco's reading over my shoulder and he says that was a smart move._

_'Aylen says hello, and told me to tell you not to overdo it. So does Draco. And now I'll tell you myself - don't overdo it!_

_'Zephyr.'_

-0-

_'Zephyr,_

_'First of all, I have to say well done on avoiding the old man for this long. I'm curious as to if you really said you didn't want to see him, or if there was something more there...But I won't pry._

_'I miss you as well. The others do their best to keep me from dying of boredom, but they're not really the same as having a little kid around to keep things lively. Unfortunately, you can't kill Dumbledore, tempting as it is. You and I both would get in trouble._

_'Yes, I really am getting better. The others are pleased that I've stopped trying to push myself too hard. (Yes, I have - shocking, I know.) That doesn't mean I like being confined to this couch, though! It's so boring...tell me how your classes are going when you write again._

_'By the way, before I forget - Draco is right. Robur mean's strength in Latin. Did his father teach him the language?_

_'Tell Aylen I asked how she's doing, and tell Draco his owl is beautiful. And stop worrying, all of you - I've barely been off the couch since you left._

_'Evan.'_

-0-

_'Dear Evan,_

_'The leaves are starting to turn. I can't believe it's almost the end of September already. You'll never believe it - we had flying lessons and I was offered a position on one of the school Quidditch teams. I said no, though. It was fun, but the books we need for classes are so much more interesting. (Draco's reading over my shoulder and is now laughing at me. He also says he's pretty sure no one else read your last letter. So how are the others doing?)_

_'Oh, come on. Are you sure I can't kill Dumbles?_

_'Draco says yeah, Lucius taught him the language. And Aylen says she's doing well. Again, we all say it, because we know you'll eventually try it - don't push yourself too hard!_

_'Zephyr.'_

-0-

_'Zephyr,_

_'Flying lessons? Quidditch? You'll have to explain it to me, because I'm confused._

_'The others are fine. In fact, __they're__ reading over __my__ shoulder, and they all ask me to tell you they say hi. They also want to tell you something that can't be put in my letters, in case Draco is wrong and someone has read them. Pay a visit to Severus and ask for the flame-colored rose. He'll know what that means._

_'Yes, Zephyr. I'm sure you can't kill Dumbledore. That's final._

_'Come on! Have a little faith in me. I'm dying of boredom because I've been on this couch for almost two months._

_'Evan.'_

-0-

_'Dear Evan,_

_'Okay, this may take a while. Quidditch is a team sport played way up in the air, on broomsticks - which is why we have the flying lessons. Draco says there are seven players on each team. There are three kinds of balls. One is the Quaffle, which three players called the Chasers handle. There are two smaller, heavier balls called Bludgers which exist for the sole purpose of knocking people out of the air. Two other players called Beaters try to keep the Bludgers away from their teammates. There's another person, called the Keeper, who defends three goalposts and tried to keep the other team from scoring. Then there's the Seeker, which raco thought I'd be good at being. His job is to find and catch a tiny winged ball called the Snitch before the other Seeker does. The Snitch is worth 150 points, and when it's caught, the game is over._

_'Phew! My hand is starting to cramp now. That was a lot to write._

_'A flame-colored rose? Weird, but okay...I'll ask._

_'Hey, if you're feeling up to it by the time Halloween rolls around, are you willing to visit?_

_'Zephyr.'_

-0-

As soon as his letter had been sent with Robur, Zephyr turned to look at Draco, who seemed ready to burst with curiosity. They'd both settled easily into their House and Hogwarts, though Zephyr still suffered the odd bad flashback. "What do you think is so important that it can't be put in a letter?" Draco asked softly, mindful that even here in their dorm, the walls had ears.

Zephyr shrugged. "Best pay that visit now," he said as he got off his four-poster bed. Draco leaped off his own bed and followed quickly, wanting to see this play out.

OoOoO

When Severus opened the door to his private rooms, he was hardly surprised to see Zephyr and Draco standing there. "So you got the letter," he murmured. With a quick glance around and a flick of his wand to make sure the boys hadn't been followed, he stood back to let them in. He shut and locked the door after them, then held out a letter written in an unfamiliar, elegant hand to Zephyr. "Take it and read it here. When you're done, burn it. I don't think you were followed here, but better to be safe than sorry."

Confused, Zephyr looked down at the scarlet ink and slowly opened the letter.

_'Zephyr,_

_'If you've gotten this, then read this twice, as quickly as you can. Memorize the words as best as you are able, because as soon as you are done, the letter will need to be destroyed._

_'You're probably confused - it's okay. If you __must__ speak of this with Draco, for I have no doubt he's reading over your shoulder now, call me Flame Dancer. (If that didn't give you a clue about who I am, then you need to get your head checked.)_

_'This piece of news can't be put in Evan's letters to you - we aren't sure, but someone may be reading them before they get to you. Just in case someone is, __be careful__. The walls have eas, even in the most secure place you know. Don't speak about anything you aren't sure of. If you get the feeling you aren't alone, or you're being watched, don't mention __any__ of this. As you know, it's better if we stay hidden for now._

_'Now, pay close attention. We think we can feel the final Elemental starting to awaken. We aren't sure, and we can't track the bond until it's strong enough to feel the rough location._

_'Tell no one that the Elementals have awakened. Tell no one the sixth is about to rejoin them. Tell __no one__ you got this letter._

_'Now burn it._

_'Stryker.'_

After reading it a second time, Zephyr glanced at the fire. With a gentle flick of his wrist, he tossed both the envelope and the letter into the flames. Then he looked up at the professor. "While I'm here, can I see my brother?" he asked hopefully.

Severus thought about it, then nodded. "I see nothing wrong with a quick visit. So long as it _is_ quick. Ten minutes is all the time I can give you. I will come after you when your time is up."

OoOoO

Evan was beginning to doze off, his head resting comfortably against the armrest of the couch and one arm draped over his chest. His eyes were half-open, but glassy and staring. His mind was blank, with no irritating thoughts to buzz around and distract him.

"You know, if you're going to fall asleep, big brother, you should close your eyes. That just looks...creepy."

Evan snapped his head around so quickly he thought he might get whiplash. Zephyr was standing next to the fireplace, grinning down at him. The black-haired boy lifted his hand and waved slightly. "Hey."

"Well, well, if it isn't the little speaker," Stryker said as she walked into the room to check on Evan. "Come to mingle with the commoners, have you?"

Zephyr stuck his tongue out at her and moved to sit on the free armrest of the couch. "Actually, I just came to see Evan. So sorry to disappoint you, Stryker."

She smirked. "I see. Well, don't let me interrupt you, then."

"Wait," he blurted as she turned to go. Stryker looked back at him, raising one eyebrow just a bit. Zephyr struggled with the words for a minute, before he managed to ask, "The sixth? Can you really - "

"Feel her?" Stryker finished, giving a sharp nod. "Yes. All of us can. A gentle breeze in our minds, growing stronger every few hours. It's driving us all crazy, because all it is, is a murmur of the bond. Just a hint. So we don't know where she is, or how close to realizing her powers she's getting. Unless she is put into a situation where it's impossible for the bond to slowly become stronger and must make itself known right away so we can find her quickly, like your brother was...we can't tell. Drives us all up the wall. If someone finds her before we do...it's all over. We're done...we won't know where she is, and if even one of us is missing when we're needed...it is, literally in every sense, the end of the world." She flicked her fingers slightly, dismissing the conversation, and left the room.

Evan blinked up at Zephyr, slowly propping himself up on his elbows. "Don't mind her," he murmured. "We're all a bit uptight. So...why the visit?"

"I wanted to make sure you weren't lying...that you were really okay..."

The brunette frowned. "Yes, I'm alright. I haven't lied. In fact, I'm bored out of my mind. Why? You haven't had another dream, have you?"

Zephyr shook his head quickly. The man in the turban, the trap door...he'd realized what one of them was. The man was Professor Quirrel, a teacher at the school. He hadn't yet figured out why he'd been talking to himself, or what he'd been saying, or why he'd been screaming. The trap door had been a more difficult puzzle that he was still mulling over. There had been the definite sense of danger, a need for caution...and he _knew_ he hadn't been alone, though for the life of him he couldn't figure out who - or what - was with him. It seemed he wouldn't have any more dreams until this one was understood fully...like the first one.

The brothers jumped as the fire flared green and Severus Snape stepped out.

"Your ten minutes are up, I'm afraid," the man said softly. He extended a hand towards Zephyr. "Come, quickly - I fear Albus will soon come looking for you."

Zephyr nodded, gave Evan a quick hug, and said, "Write to me soon. Okay?"

"You know I will," Evan returned. "Now go, before the old coot does start to wonder."

"Bye." Zephyr moved to Snape's side, allowing the man to nudge him into the flames with a pinch of powder and the words, "Hogwarts dungeons, Severus Snape's rooms."

OoOoO

_'Zephyr,_

_'I got your last letter about an hour after you left. Funny how the world works sometimes...or how fast the owl flies._

_'Halloween? Well...maybe. I'll ask the others if I'll be well enough. In fact, I'm almost sure I will be, so long as I'm not running marathons or hiking up mountain trails. But that's for them to decide, not myself._

_'Stay well, Zephyr, and tell me if you have any more dreams, or if you figure out the dream you had before you left._

_'Evan.'_

-0-

_'Evan, you won't believe it! One of the staircases at the school moved, and Draco and I, and that little girl who was introduced to you and I over the summer, Hermione Granger, were on it. We ended up on the third floor, somehow, and we heard __growling__ behind a locked door! We didn't want to go in, but someone was coming and we didn't want to get in trouble for being somewhere we shouldn't, so we unlocked the door thanks to a spell Draco knew, and inside we saw a huge __three-headed__ dog. Of course we ran, but can you imagine? If we'd stayed a moment longer, we'd be giant three-headed dog food! We're fine. Just shaken up. But we thought you should know. And we're curious as to what it might be guarding...it was standing on a trap door._

_'Zephyr.'_

-0-

_'Zephyr,_

_'What the hell do they think they're doing, keeping a Cerberus locked up in a school?! I'll kill that old man if I get my hands on him!_

_**'It's Flame Dancer, Zephyr. I've taken the pen from Evan, since he seems incapable of writing without pausing every few moments to curse fluently and in a few different languages. (I must say, I'm impressed with a few of his swear words. Where **__**did**__** he learn to curse like that? Was he a sailer in a past life?) Anyway, we're glad to hear you're safe and unharmed. Though Evan is still demanding to know (with many words I should not repeat thrown into the sentences) why Dumbledore is keeping a Cerberus in his school where anyone could stumble across it and get themselves killed.**_

_'I've rescued my pen from Flame Dancer, and I'm going to urge you to go and ask Severus about this. Please. For the sake of my nerves, ask him what he knows about this._

_'Evan __**and Flame Dancer.'**_

-0-

_'Dear Evan and Flame Dancer,_

_'For starters, I'm not sure where Evan learned to swear. Perhaps he picked up quite a few of his swear words in the years before he and I met?_

_'I went to ask Professor Snape like you told me to, Evan...but he didn't say much. He just said I shouldn't tell anyone I saw the dog, and not to go wandering around the castle anymore. He also asked how exactly I found out._

_'Maybe he'll tell you more. I have no doubt he went to you with this. Please, if he does, explain it to me?_

_'Zephyr.'_

-0-

_'Zephyr,_

_'It's all been explained to me. In case this letter is intercepted, I can't say much here. And you can't chance seeing me. All I can do is give you a hint._

_'Ask Miss Granger to help you look in the library. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to do so after your little adventure._

_'I'm sorry I can't be of more help. Keep Aylen and Draco close. Don't speak of your adventure where anyone other than Draco can hear you._

_'Evan.'_

OoOoO

Zephyr turned over Evan's latest letter in his hands, frowning slightly. It was the least Evan had written since Zephyr had come here. Evan hadn't said anything about his condition, or Halloween...he hadn't said much of anything. It was as though he was sure the letter would be read before it got to Zephyr.

At first, Zephyr was a bit ticked off. But when Aylen hissed softly that she could see two auras around the wax seal, he realized that Evan was probably right. They needed to be more careful.

"I'm going to see if I can find Hermione Granger," Zephyr murmured to Aylen before he rolled off his bed to hunt down the Ravenclaw.

OoOoO

_'Evan,_

_'A friend says that our mail is being read. Or at least, your last letter had been. But I did ask Hermione...she and Draco are great helps._

_'You never mentioned what the others said about Halloween. Can you come?_

_'Aylen is always close by, always a comfort. Draco is always saying that he's here when I need him. I can't believe I have them as friends..._

_'Zephyr.'_

-0-

_'Zephyr,_

_'I had suspected someone was reading the letters I sent. I'm glad Draco is helping too. Be careful._

_**'Flame Dancer here. I'm giving a hint of my own, with a seal that cannot be broken by any but yourself. Thank me later.**_

_**'The person you seek has created something everyone, at some point in their lives, desires. The color of rich wine, able to produce both of man's most desperate desires.**_

_**'And yes, Evan should be able to come if he **__**behaves himself.**_

_**'Bonus fortuna, meus amicus.**_

_'Bonus fortuna, meus frater._

_**'Flame Dancer**__ and Evan.'_

-0-

_'Flame Dancer and Evan,_

_'Must you speak in riddles? You're making our brains hurt...well, mine and Draco's. Hermione thinks she knows what you mean, but she's going to wait until after Halloween to check._

_'Looking forward to seeing you!_

_'Zephyr.'_

OoOoO

Zephyr was all but bouncing as he waited for his brother to arrive. More than once, Draco stopped him from falling off his seat. The blonde carefully controlled his amused expression, but he had to laugh when Evan snuck up behind them, unnoticed by his brother, and whispered, "Boo." Zephyr jumped about a foot and in his haste to spin and see who was behind him, actually _did_ fall off his seat.

"Don't do that!" Zephyr complained, getting up and reclaiming his spot.

Evan grinned down at his little brother, unrepentant. "Hello to you too," he commented as he slowly eased himself onto the seat next to Draco. His leg had been wrapped in a tight bandage to keep him from moving it too much, and he'd been given a set of crutches to help him get around.

"How'd you get here?" Zephyr asked, curiosity overriding his annoyance.

The brunette blinked a few times and said, "I came with Severus, through his fireplace. Not my favorite way to travel, I have to admit."

They'd barely begun to eat when Professor Quirrel came sprinting into the Great Hall and gasped out, "Troll...in the dungeons...thought you ought to know..." Then he slumped over in a dead faint. Zephyr didn't know if he was the only one with the crazy desire to laugh. Judging by Evan's face, the brunette was both amused and bewildered.

Suddenly Zephyr froze. The man in the turban...screaming....His dream!

A quick scan of the Ravenclaw table and he was sure Hermione was there. He relaxed just a bit. The teachers were dealing with the troll, his friends were safe, Evan was here... Slowly, Zephyr talked himself down from his near-panicked state, and he became aware that Evan had pulled him against his chest.

"I think he's just scared," Evan was saying to Draco, though from the slight tightening of the arms around his waist, Zephyr would guess that _Evan_ had guessed that this had been a part of his dream. "He'll be alright."

"I'm going to go to the bathroom," Zephyr said quietly. "Be right back." He gave Evan a quick hug.

OoOoO

Evan began to get more and more nervous as the minutes ticked by and Zephyr hadn't come back. When ten minutes had gone by, he was ready to get up and start looking for his brother. Draco kept casting anxious glances at the door as though hoping Zephyr would walk back in at any moment.

"Evan Ventulus?"

Evan turned and raised a brow at a young woman. "Speaking," he returned.

"Hospital wing," she said, turning to led him. "Professor Snape found your brother cornered by the troll in one of the bathrooms. They're both waiting for you."

OoOoO

"For the last time, I wasn't trying to fight the troll!" Zephyr snapped at Dumbledore. "I was just going to the bathroom and the troll cornered me in there."

"I understand you might not want to get in trouble, dear boy, but - "

"Zephyr!" The boy turned his head in time to see Evan limp towards him, partially leaning on Draco and Hermione. His crutches were nowhere to be seen, and when Draco and Hermione shifted so he could sit on his litle brother's bed, he sank onto it gratefully. "Are you alright?" Evan demanded, pulling Zephyr into a tight hug before he started running his hands over his brother's body, trying to find out if he was hurt.

"I'm fine, Evan...just fine..." Zephyr murmured, relaxing into Evan's warmth and putting up with the fussing. "But I'm not keen to do it again."

"Good. Don't," Evan said shortly. He buried his face in Zephyr's shoulder and breathed deeply, inhaling the child's scent. "I don't know what I'd do...if I lost you," he admited softly, more to himself than Zephyr.

"You'd be extremely bored," Zephyr said matter-of-factly. "You need me to give you a heart attack from time to time, otherwise you'd go crazy on that couch. And I need you to scare me half to death, or I'd die of boredom here."

Evan chuckled softly. "Really now. You sound so sure."

"That's 'cause I am," Zephyr murmured as he started to doze off. He felt Evan's chest vibrate as he laughed again, and finally fell asleep with a smile on his face.

OoOoO

When Zephyr woke again, he had been moved so that his head was on a pillow, and Evan was nowhere in sight. Next to him, though, was a note in Evan's neat writing and a large bar of chocolate. Slowly, Zephyr sat up and picked up the note.

_'Zephyr,_

_'By the time you read this, I'll probably be back on the couch. I had a talk with the old man - he thought you went off to fight the troll, but I set the record straight. The chocolate's a gift from us all. Eat it slowly, or you'll make yourself sick._

_'Don't forget to write. Your letters will be the only thing keeping me from doing absolutely nothing for a while._

_'I hope to see you soon._

_'Evan.'_

Zephyr had to smile faintly. "He never changes," he murmured.

**-0-0-0-**

**My...hands...are...cramping!**

**I have no idea how many hours it took to type this up - I only know I've been working on it on and off for the past FIVE DAYS. Enjoy it, people. This is the only stuff I'm writing today.**

**Oh, by the way, like the new writing style? Hate it? Is it better than attempting to rewrite the books? Let me know.**


	31. XXXI

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: -sigh- I wish I owned Harry Potter. I'd have written a better ending to the series. Joanne really disappointed us all with hers.

OoOoO

'_Zephyr,_

'_November has come! How have you been since I saw you? Alright I hope? How is Draco? How's Aylen? How are your classes going?_

'_Forgive the questions – we didn't have much time to talk, I'm sure you'll remember. And, of course, I'm bored stiff._

'_I hope you like the chocolate. Flame Dancer helped me pick it out. Write me soon, or I may die of boredom without you knowing._

'_Evan.'_

-0-

'_Dear Evan,_

'_I've been fine, if a little bored. Classes are going okay, and Aylen and Draco are fine. In fact, she's pretty sure our mail isn't being read anymore._

'_I can't stop thinking about that Cerberus, and the trap door it was standing on. I __know__ that was the place I dreamed about before I came here. But I'm sure our adventure wasn't what I dreamed. I think…something big is going to happen. I think Hermione and Draco feel it as well – we're all a bit jumpy these days._

'_Now, to be completely random…What do you know about dragons?_

'_Zephyr.'_

-0-

'_Zephyr,_

'_Regardless of any feelings you may have, I don't want you to go near that Cerberus, alright? Your teachers have got it covered. Severus told me the situation was under control, and even if it wasn't, there would be nothing you could do. You're not the only one who gets gut feelings. Stay away from the Cerberus._

'_Dragons? I know they're supposedly mythical (I say supposedly because trolls aren't supposed to exist either) creatures with fangs, claws, attitudes, and fire breath. I also know there's more to that question than just curiosity. Spill it._

'_Evan.'_

-0-

'_Evan, one of the teachers has got a baby dragon! Draco saw it and told Professor Snape about it. He told me, too. He also told me how fast they grow. It's small now, but give it a few weeks and it'll be the size of a house! The teacher won't get rid of it. We told Hermione, and the three of us are terrified…help!'_

-0-

'_Oh, it's just one thing on top of another, isn't it! This is brilliant. Just…brilliant._

'_**Flame Dancer here, Zephyr. Evan's staring into space. I think you shocked him. Now, don't freak out. First of all, do you have a class with this man? (If you do, feel free to panic.)**_

'_**You say Severus knows. I hate to do this, but tell him to go to Dumbledore with this. Dumbledore will be able to get rid of the thing. Don't ask why – just **__**do**__** it! If it grows as fast as I'm afraid it will, it won't take long for this dragon to be a danger to everything and everyone around it.**_

'_**Now, I don't mean to pressure you, but if you're getting gut feelings like that, then we're running out of time. Not quickly – there may yet be time to do something against what I fear may be happening. I can't tell you more here – there's too much of a chance someone else will read this. Ask Hermione if she's found anything related to the hint I gave you the day before Halloween. If she has, tell her to look for more.**_

'_It's Evan again, Zephyr. Do as Flame Dancer says, and try to act normal around people you don't know well or trust. You never know who could be listening, so don't speak of this where just anyone can hear you. Stick to the library or a similarly quiet, out-of-the-way room. And please…be careful.'_

OoOoO

Zephyr glanced at Draco, frowning. "The longest letter he's sent, and it's full of hints only Hermione could uncover and warnings to be careful."

Draco shook his head slowly. He and Hermione were on tentative friendly terms, talking politely and avoiding arguments and biting comments as much as possible. "I think we should go and find her, and show her this letter."

"But first we've got to find Professor Snape," Zephyr pointed out. "We have to tell him Flame Dancer told him to go to Dumbles with this…this dragon issue."

The blonde grimaced. "Right." He offered Robur an owl treat and sent the bird off to the Owlery. Zephyr called to Aylen, who slithered up his arm to coil tightly around her human's neck. The Slytherins set off to find their Head of House, hoping to get rid of the dragon for good.

OoOoO

'_Evan and Flame Dancer,_

'_Professor Snape talked to Dumbles. The dragon will be gone in a week. Draco did a victory dance when we got back to our dorm and made me swear not to tell anyone he did. Oops. Oh well._

'_Hermione says yes, she did find out what Flame Dancer meant. And she told us what it was, and I have to ask you…are you __kidding__ me?! Are you telling me that __that__ is what that freaking Cerberus is guarding on the third floor? Please tell me that monster isn't the only thing in the way of someone taking it. Please tell me that this is all a joke. Please tell me I can get out of here soon._

'_I miss you singing to me. Is there a spell to make letters sing? If there is, will you send me something that could sing me to sleep?_

'_Zephyr.'_

-0-

'_Zephyr,_

'_I'm afraid it's no joke. It's very serious. Of course the Cerberus isn't the only thing guarding it. Dumbles would have to be stupid to guard it so lightly. And much as I hate to admit it, he is not a stupid man. He's stuck in his vision of how the world should be, and more than a bit mad, but he is not stupid. Don't worry - you'll be back here before you know it._

'_Have you not been sleeping? Is that what brought this on? Flame Dancer says she can charm a card to record a song I sing before I send it to you. I'll get it to you by the time that dragon is gone._

'_Evan.'_

-0-

'_Evan,_

'_Thanks…no, I haven't been sleeping well. Too many things on my mind, I guess. All of us are waiting, waiting for the dragon to be gone, waiting for something big to happen at the school, and waiting for Christmas. I want to come home and spend the holiday with you and the others. Fill me in on what's going on with them when I get there, okay?_

'_Zephyr.'_

OoOoO

The night after the dragon had been shipped off, a black owl delivered a plain white card to Zephyr. It was addressed to him, and simply signed in Evan's handwriting, "Sleep well, little brother."

Slowly, Zephyr turned the card over, half-hoping to see more, but the card was blank. He decided he might as well open it, and did so. After a moment, Evan's sweet tenor voice filled the silence. Draco, who was sitting on his bed petting Aylen gently, turned in surprise.

"That's your brother singing?" he asked. Zephyr nodded and signaled him to be quiet a moment.

"_Goodnight, my angel, time to close your eyes…and save these questions for another day. I think I know what you've been asking me, I think you know what I've been trying to say. I promised I would never leave you, and you should always know…no matter where you are, I never will be far away_…"

"He actually did this for me," Zephyr murmured.

"Because you're his brother," Draco said, yawning. "You mean a lot to him. Man, your brother's a good singer…he could put an insomniac to sleep."

Zephyr smiled, listening to Evan's song. "…_and like a boat out on the ocean, I'm rocking you to sleep. The water's dark and deep. Inside this ancient heart, you'll always be a part of me…Goodnight, my angel, now it's time to dream, and dream how wonderful your life will be. Someday, your child may cry, and if you sing this lullaby…then in your heart, there will always be a part…of me_…"

Zephyr felt his eyelids drooping. In the bed next to his, Draco had fallen back on his pillows and apparently gone to sleep, lulled by Evan's gentle voice. Slowly, Zephyr shut the card and set it on the table next to his bed, finally able to get to sleep.

OoOoO

'_Dear Evan,_

'_I can never thank you enough. You're a wonderful singer – Aylen and Draco agree with me, so don't deny it. You put all of us to sleep last night. I'm going to show the card to Hermione, see what she thinks._

'_I'm coming home for Christmas! I can't wait to see Flame Dancer and the others again!_

'_Zephyr.'_

-0-

'_Zephyr,_

'_Yes, you are. Congratulations. Do you want a prize?_

'_Next time, __tell__ me if you can't sleep and I'll send another card sooner. Flame Dancer says eventually the charm on the card will wear off, so when that happens, just throw it away._

'_Evan.'_

-0-

'_Evan,_

'_I'm coming home, I'm coming home, I'm coming – _

'_**Draco here. I've managed to steal Zephyr's quill and get the letter away from him. As you can tell, he's excited to come back. We'll be there tomorrow. See you then!**_

'_**Draco**__ and Zephyr.'_

OoOoO

Zephyr tripped and nearly fell out of the fireplace in his haste to greet his older brother. Evan chuckled and said, "Easy, there, little guy. Don't hurt yourself."

Zephyr shrugged, unfazed, and threw himself at Evan, who grunted with the force of the impact and, somehow, managed to avoid falling over. Lucius and Narcissa smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. Stryker made no attempt to hide her amused expression. Deidrick chuckled from his position on the floor in front of Hana, who was sitting in an armchair as she trailed her fingers through his hair. Xavier, leaning in the doorway that led to the kitchen, was grinning. Severus smiled faintly at the brothers, knowing that if Dumbledore wrapped his talons around Zephyr or Evan, this close relationship would be tragically torn apart.

After a minute of just hugging his big brother and breathing in Evan's unique scent, Zephyr looked up in time to meet soft deep purple eyes. "Presents?" he asked.

The brunette ruffled the unruly black hair fondly. "Later, brat. First we're going to eat. Then you and Draco can unwrap your gifts." Zephyr pouted, but nodded. He had no doubt everyone was hungry, especially since he and Draco had left in the middle of breakfast with Severus.

OoOoO

After everyone had eaten, Harry and Draco began to circle the pile of presents like hungry wolves, until Stryker told them to sit down and be quiet. She moved to stand in front of the pile, and picked up the top present. "This is from yours truly to Draco, because I saw him admiring the arm band we made for Zephyr." She handed the small, flat box to the blonde boy and stood back to allow everyone a good view.

Draco ripped off the wrapping, opened the box, and tried to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. Wordlessly, he picked up the necklace inside by the thin gold chain. The charm was a small, but beautifully carved yin-yang symbol.

"You did that?" Zephyr asked breathlessly, fingering his own necklace charm as if wondering if Stryker had done his as well.

The Fire Elemental nodded shortly and looked away to hide her faint blush as everyone exclaimed how beautiful it was, ignoring Hana's knowing grin and Xavier's smirk as she nodded at Draco's thanks. When the praise had died down, she picked up the next present and said, "This one is from Lucius and Narcissa to Zephyr."

Taking it, Zephyr noticed that it was light and didn't seem to have a shape, and as he opened it, a cloak was revealed. It was dark green with silver trim, the clasp was a silver serpent, and it was extremely soft to the touch.

"In the hopes that you won't get too cold this winter," Narcissa offered, smiling at Zephyr's stammered "thank you".

Stryker waited until everyone had finished admiring the cloak before she cleared her throat and offered the next present to Evan. "This one is from Xavier, Hana, Deidrick, and I, to welcome you back to the Elementals, Evan."

Evan opened it slowly, ignoring Zephyr's prodding, and sucked in a breath. "It looks like a photograph," he breathed, gently running his fingers over the drawing of himself, Xavier, Deidrick, Stryker, Hana, and a sixth he couldn't name. He knew the unfamiliar face as well as the others…but he wouldn't be able to put a name to the face yet.

Stryker's slender finger caressed the unfamiliar woman's face with a tenderness Evan had never seen from her. "Deidrick drew this," she murmured, "in the hopes that when we found the sixth, we'd have some time to relax like we're doing there, before…"

And they were relaxing, apparently having a great time. Stryker, Xavier, Deidrick, and Hana all looked more relaxed than they had since he'd met them. And he himself was smiling.

"He's an amazing artist," Evan murmured. Deidrick inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"I'll frame it later for you," the Earth Elemental promised.

"Thank you."

Stryker stepped away and handed the next present to Severus, saying it was from all of the Elementals. When opened, it was revealed to be a thick book on Potions that apparently Severus had been unable to find. The next was from Zephyr to Evan, and turned out to be a ring – a black band studded with amethysts. When Evan had looked up at his brother, wide-eyed, Zephyr had smiled and said, "Count the stones when you're bored. Professor Snape helped me spell it so that the number is never the same twice."

Stryker had been impressed. "Tricky magic," she'd said. Her orange-as-flame gaze had been alight with appreciation when Evan allowed her a closer look.

The gift-opening wore on into the evening. When everyone had finished, they ate dinner and headed to bed.

On Zephyr's bed was an anonymous gift. Puzzled, he'd showed it to everyone, and Severus had said with mild disdain that the headmaster had had him bring that along to give to Zephyr.

The note was unsigned and said simply,

'_Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. A very Merry Christmas to you.'_

Zephyr had burned the note, and when he opened the package and found it to be another cloak, he was tempted to burn that as well. But something held him back. His father's…this had been his father's…and Dumbledore had sent it. The raven-haired child frowned. There was something…not right about the whole thing. But now was not the time to try figuring it out.

OoOoO

Evan stood in the doorway of his brother's room, frowning lightly as he watched his brother sleep. His bad leg occasionally gave a dull throb of pain, but he was able to ignore it by shifting his weight off of it.

"You know, if he sees you there, you'll give him a heart attack," Stryker's voice murmured, making him turn his head enough to look over his shoulder. She was sitting on the armrest of his couch, watching him with unblinking orange eyes.

"Old habits die hard," he returned after a moment of silence, looking away.

"You can say you missed him, you know. I won't tell."

Evan's frown deepened. "Yes, I missed him. It's not exactly a secret, Stryker. But I'm…worried." It was hard to admit. "Dumbledore is no fool. He's stuck on his vision of a perfect world, but he is not stupid. And he's not above taking someone's weakness and using it against them. I'm the perfect example. He hurt me to get at Zephyr. Because it's obvious we're close."

She was silent and he turned back to her. "You should go to bed," he murmured after a moment. "I won't be able to sleep this night."

"Okay…"

He heard her leave, and closed his once-brown eyes with a quiet sigh. Some nights…he really wished he could sleep more than a few hours.

OoOoO

"I don't want to go back," Zephyr mumbled into Evan's chest at the end of the break. The older of the two didn't respond, merely hugged his little brother tighter. He didn't want to let Zephyr go back either, with everything that was happening. It truly was, as he'd written to Zephyr, one thing on top of the other.

"And yet you have to," he finally said when Zephyr seemed to be waiting for an answer. "I don't want you to go either…just be careful. Please. Don't do things without need."

"I won't," Zephyr promised. "I'll see you again before I know it, right?"

Evan had to smile. "Right." He released the child, ruffling Zephyr's hair one last time and saying, "Bye, kiddo."

With a flare of acidic green flames, Zephyr was gone.

**-0-0-0-**

**-stares blankly at the screen- I REALLY should be in bed right now…It's 2:21 AM, yet I'm not tired…damn chocolate. Oh well. My fault entirely.**

**Translations I forgot last time:**

**Bonus fortuna – Good luck**

**Meus amicus – My friend**

**Meus frater – My brother**


	32. XXXII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: -sigh- I wish I owned Harry Potter. I'd have written a better ending to the series. Joanne really disappointed us all with hers.

OoOoO

The night after Zephyr had left, Evan stood staring out at the moon. It wasn't a special moon – last quarter, actually. Yet he could literally _feel_ the other's anticipation. The bonds were nearly humming, making Evan himself restless. Stryker had been nearly walking on clouds the entire day, especially as it drew closer to the evening, and Hana had seemed giddy as the sun began to set. But more than their emotions, more than Xavier's tightly controlled eagerness, Evan could feel Deidrick's nearly overwhelming excitement.

It was probably close to midnight when Stryker nearly bowled Evan over, grinning widely. "Come, come quickly!" she said, her voice breathless and her eyes shining as one of her slender hands closed tightly around his wrist. "Or you'll miss it!" Half-dragging, half-leading him, she nearly sprinted to the door.

"Hey, easy," he chuckled as she dragged him out into the yard. "What's going on?" Stryker smiled at him, pressed a finger to her lips in a gesture meaning for him to be quiet, then cupped his chin and turned his face towards the others.

"Just…watch," she breathed. "One day, you'll do this with us…" Then she pulled away to join Hana, linking hands with the auburn-haired woman. Hana stretched a hand towards Deidrick, who held hers and Xavier's hands, and Xavier had taken Stryker's free hand.

There was some shift in the air around them…it almost seemed to come alive, crackling with energy like the air before a storm, leaving Evan wide-eyed and exhilarated. This was merely a _taste_, a voice in the back of his mind whispered. Merely a whisper of that the Elementals could do. Tonight they were four. Next time they would be more complete.

Then Stryker began to speak, in soft, compelling tones that carried easily in the dead silence. "Hear us, Mother Earth and Father Sun, Brother Wind and Sister Moon. Hear our cry as we beg of you, creators of the Elementals, to swiftly return our missing sister to us. Hear our plea and help her find her way to us. This we ask of you, not as Stryker, Hana, Deidrick, and Xavier, but as Daughters of Fire and Light, and sons of Earth and Water. Please, hear our prayer."

Now Xavier began to speak, no louder than Stryker had. "Hear our cry, Mother Earth, Father Sun, Brother Wind and Sister Moon, as we beg of you to return the powers and memories that Evan, Son of Darkness, has lost. Please, hear our prayer."

"Hear our prayer," Hana and Deidrick repeated softly. "Hear our prayer…"

Deidrick lowered himself to his knees, and brought out a small knife that Evan had failed to notice before. "Hear our cries, Mother Earth, and accept the offering of my blood as proof that we will always belong to you. Through it, grow stronger, so that our missing sister and Evan's memories may be returned," the Earth Elemental intoned, slowly sliding the blade of the knife over his palm.

Evan watched, transfixed, as the blood welled up along the line of the cut. The red liquid spilled over, and Deidrick didn't move as it began to drip onto the snow. Three drops, three red stains on the white powder, and Hana knelt beside him, taking the injured hand and covering it with both of her own. There was a brief, dim glow, and Deidrick reclaimed his hand – fully healed and unscarred.

As one, he and Hana stood, and the four turned towards Evan.

He had no idea what to say. He could still feel the energy, the sheer power in the air. He could smell the elements – smoke, a subtly sweet scent that reminded him of wildflowers but wasn't quite the same, the ocean, and the musky scent of wet earth all at once.

Stryker beckoned to him. Without thinking, he stepped forward until he was beside her, looking into her suddenly intense gaze. She'd always had flame-colored eyes – but now they were _exactly_ like flame. Darker and lighter oranges mixed into her normal eye color, dancing and twisting, just like a wildfire. Dangerous…and breathtakingly beautiful. She smiled at him and murmured, "Take my hand. _Feel_ the magic. Know it will one day be yours."

He took her hand, not knowing what to expect at all. To his surprise, she shifted her grip so that their fingers were intertwined, then pressed her palm into his.

He wasn't prepared for the rush of pure _power._

It burned through his veins, like fire, but nowhere near as painfully. His mind was clearer than it had been since he'd been injured. _This_ was how magic was meant to be discovered, gently and gradually, not through pain and torture. It was like a drug, intoxicating his senses. But he was completely coherent. And he knew what he was – could feel the darkness in him pulsing in time to Stryker's fire.

When the moment passed, Stryker slowly released her grip and rested her hands on his shoulders, smiling up at him. "Welcome back." Evan was shocked to see tears in her eyes, tears she wasn't allowing to fall. When one did, he unthinkingly brushed it away with the pad of his thumb.

She swallowed hard, then turned her face into his hand with a sigh before leaning her forehead on his chest. "Don't tell me not to cry," she whispered. "Because I'm going to, whether you want it or not."

Evan wasn't sure what to do when she suddenly hugged him fiercely, only to step back and allow Hana to hug him as well. "Gods, we've missed you," the Light Elemental breathed, looking up at him with eyes so intensely blue that her pupils had faded into the irises a bit. There were tear tracks on her face, but she was beaming.

When Hana pulled away, Deidrick pulled him into a brotherly embrace. He said nothing, but then, he was a man of few words. Xavier's hug was much the same, except he murmured, "Welcome back to the family, kid."

A flash of white light made Evan look down, in time to see a little plant he couldn't identify begin to grow out of the snow with unnatural speed out of the place where Deidrick's blood had dripped, defying the fact that it was winter.

"Mother Earth has heard us, even though the soil is frozen," Deidrick explained, seeing Evan's stunned expression. The Darkness Elemental looked up to meet eyes so very like a forest – full of shadows and mystery, and points of light like dappled sunlight. "She will do her best to bring the sixth back to us – and to help you regain your memories."

Gently, reverently, Evan kneeled and stretched out a finger, gently stroking a fragile, barely formed leaf. He couldn't find words to express his gratitude and awe – but then, maybe no words were needed.

OoOoO

'_Dear Evan,_

'_All the cool stuff has to happen to you, doesn't it? Draco's in shock – your play-by-play of everything that happened last night blew our minds. Imagining something like that is just…wow. (Smart thinking, by the way. At first I thought it was just a normal, "Hi, how are you?" letter. But then I turned it over and there was more! Even if someone read it, they'd never have found everything else. You are a GENIUS.)_

'_Zephyr.'_

-0-

'_Zephyr,_

'"_Just wow" is right. But enough of my news – what's going on at your end? You haven't gotten into trouble, have you?_

'_I can teach you how to do things like that, if you want. Hide messages, I mean. There are plenty of ways to do it, not all magical._

'_Keep me in the loop._

'_Evan.'_

-0-

'_Dear Evan,_

'_You'll never believe it! That cloak Professor Snape delivered to me from Dumbles; it turns people and things invisible! Draco says it's an Invisibility Cloak…and Dumbledore, who we all agree was the sender, said it belonged to my father. Did he know my parents, do you think?_

'_Anyway, Aylen and I went wandering last night…I know I shouldn't, but I was restless and not even your card put me to sleep. I found the most incredible thing…a mirror that Aylen said __reeked__ of magic. I wanted to know if I was really invisible…so I looked into it._

'_Evan, I…I think I saw my family. I think I saw my parents…standing right next to me. My mother was crying, but smiling at the same time. She had my eyes – and it's like I was a mini-copy of my dad. They weren't real, I know that. But just for a second…I saw my parents' faces._

'_No more nighttime adventures. Ever._

'_Zephyr.'_

OoOoO

Evan frowned at Zephyr's latest letter, his fingers trailing lightly over the small, damp stains where tears had clearly fallen. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Stryker gazing at him calmly, a question flickering in the depths of her orange eyes.

Wordlessly, he handed over the letter. He waited until she'd read it a few times before he asked, "What do you think?"

Stryker looked up and frowned at him. "This practically screams that someone wanted Zephyr to find the mirror."

Evan growled. "Dumbledore."

"Most likely. The Mirror of Erised is said to be residing in Hogwarts, currently. It shows nothing more…and nothing less…than the most desperate desires of our hearts. Now…you've got a distressed brother to write back to." She made as if to step away, but hesitated with an odd expression on her face. Evan looked up at her, trying to puzzle it out. After a moment, she seemed to come to a decision, and stepped away further with a small smile.

She'd left the room before he could ask her what that was all about. With a sigh, he started to write a reply.

OoOoO

'_Zephyr,_

'_First of all, do you want me to come there?_

'_Second of all, I wouldn't worry yourself over it. If it reeked of magic, like Aylen said, Dumbledore probably had something to do with it. Flame Dancer says you probably saw the Mirror of Erised, which shows you your deepest desires. So, perhaps you want to know your family. Perhaps it was a trick, set up by Dumbledore. Perhaps it is both._

'_You'll let me know, won't you, if you need anything? If there's anything I can do for you, know that I'm here for you, little brother._

'_Evan.'_

-0-

'_Dear Evan,_

'_Yeah…I guess I do want you to come here. I know you're right about the mirror, but I can't stop thinking about it. Maybe with you here I'll be happier…_

'_Zephyr.'_

OoOoO

Zephyr nearly jumped out of his skin when he was suddenly hugged from behind the morning after he'd sent his latest message to Evan. His brother's unique scent hung in the air around him, and a murmur in his ear assured him it was only Evan. "Surprise, brother."

Zephyr turned his head and met warm amethyst eyes. "You came," he breathed, twisting around to hug Evan desperately, hoping that this wasn't a dream, wasn't an illusion like his parents' faces.

"Of course I came. You need me here," Evan replied simply.

Zephyr simply stood there for a while, his cheek resting against his brother's firm chest, relishing the fact that this was _real_. Evan was real. His parents…maybe they'd been real to him once. But this was the first time he'd seen their faces. They were just a dream…longed for, but to try and make it truth was like grasping at smoke. Impossible. A cruel illusion.

"Why has the mirror upset you so, little raven?" Evan murmured, frowning lightly at Zephyr. Gently, he released his brother and cradled the child's head in his hands.

_Real hands. Warm hands,_ Zephyr thought, even as he gazed into Evan's concerned deep purple eyes. Then he caught up with what Evan had called him. "Little raven?" he asked softly.

Fingers carded gently through unruly black hair and tugged on a lock of it lightly enough that he barely felt the pull.

"Yes. You're my raven, my brother, my life blood," Evan said seriously. "You…the others…all of you _are_ my life now. If anything happened to any of you…I'm not sure if things could go back to the way they were." He paused. "But that's beside the point. You didn't answer my question."

Zephyr tried to look down as he bit his lip, but Evan's hands were firmly cupping his jaw, and forced him to look the man in the face as he admitted, "I'm scared…that none of this is real. That I'll wake up and realize it was all a dream. You, the others, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, Draco…Aylen…I couldn't lose any of you and still be me."

"The mirror is the illusion here, Zephyr. Look. I'm here. Can you see my face?" For effect, Evan shook a lock of hair from his face to expose the scar above his eyebrow. "Can you feel my hands?" He gently tugged his brother into a hug. "I'm _here_, Zephyr. I'll be with you until the day I breathe my last."

Zephyr's eyes were stinging. He swallowed hard, willing himself not to cry. Before all of this had happened, Evan had always called him a strong little boy. Had always been proud when Zephyr didn't cry when they failed a raid. Had quietly praised him when a theft went well. Why was he breaking down now?

Evan had noticed the light tremors running through the small body. "Just say the word," he whispered, suddenly fiercely protective as he held Zephyr tightly. "Just say it's too much, and I'll have you out of here faster than that old bastard can say a word against it."

Zephyr pulled back, giving his older brother a shaky smile. "Thank you," he murmured.

OoOoO

Quirrel was shaking in anticipation and anxiety. Months of planning, months of preparation, and he _had_ it. The very piece of information he _needed_.

"Very good, my servant," his Master hissed. "Very good indeed. Now, we must wait…until the opportune moment. Now, tell me about little Zephyr. Does he seem suspicious?"

"Perhaps a bit, my Lord. It seems he can sense something is about to happen, and it's putting him on edge. Making him cautious. His brother seemed to be very protective the last time I saw him, so maybe he can feel it was well."

His Master was silent a moment. "Did you sense anything…odd…since we last checked on this brother?"

Quirrel shivered a bit. "His aura has changed, my Lord."

"Yesss…it has." His Master sounded even more pleased than he had a minute ago.

"So he knows, my Lord?"

"Oh, yes…he knows." Another pause. "Keep a close eye on him whenever you see him…and his little brother as well. The Elementals won't need much convincing to join us if we play our hand right. And they are powerful allies."

"Yes, my Lord."

"And, Quirrel…" Quirrel licked his lips nervously. "We can't afford mistakes. Get the Stone…before anyone notices you are gone."

A shaky nod and a murmured, "yes, my Lord" ended the conversation, and Quirrel found himself shaking not with eagerness or pent-in energy, but with the faintest stirrings of fear.

OoOoO

'_Dear Evan,_

'_The end of the year exams are done and over. My head feels full of everything I've learned – spells, famous witches and wizards, potions and more. I'm ready to come home, and sit back, and do nothing for the summer._

'_But I can't shake the feeling that something is going to happen soon. Something big. Can you feel it too?_

'_Zephyr.'_

-0-

'_Zephyr,_

'_I wish I could lie. I wish I could tell you I don't have the faintest idea of what you're going on about. But I've never lied to you, and if I've ever kept something from you – and I admit I have – it was either because your life and mine depended on my silence, or because you wouldn't have understood. I don't intend to start outright lying to you now._

'_Yes, I can feel that something is about to happen. But there's nothing we can do. Not yet anyway. Not until whatever's going to happen has started. Otherwise, we'll have jumped the gun and made ourselves into living, breathing targets._

'_Please, don't do anything stupid, Zephyr. You'll be free for the summer soon._

'_Evan.'_

OoOoO

No matter how much he tossed and turned, or listened to Evan's singing card, Zephyr couldn't get to sleep. He felt hot, restless, smothered. He felt…not exactly trapped, but an overwhelming need to be outside, to breathe fresh air, to be able to run until he couldn't feel his legs anymore.

Finally, frustrated, he sat up and kicked off his blankets. He turned to get off the bed, intending to head to the common room and maybe pace off these feelings.

Behind him, he heard Draco say softly, "You can't sleep either, huh?"

Zephyr turned to see the blonde staring at him calmly, his dove-gray gaze appearing silver and his already pale skin bleached white in the moonlight.

"I think…" Zephyr began slowly, "that something is going to happen tonight. And I don't know why…but I have to be there."

"So you're just going to throw yourself into it?" Draco's voice was still soft, but there was just the slightest tremor in his words as he went on, "Charging into danger like you're a bloody knight in shining armor?"

"I'd be careful," Zephyr objected, then winced. Wrong thing to say.

Draco's eyes flashed angrily. "You're a fool," he nearly growled, even as Zephyr turned to leave the dorm. The blonde stood and followed, staring into bright green eyes as he tried to make his friend understand. "You know what's here and you know how well-guarded it is. And you _know_," he snarled, grabbing Zephyr's upper arm as the raven-haired child tried to walk away from him, "that _Dumbledore_ is involved."

Zephyr swallowed, his mouth and throat suddenly dry. Draco was his best friend…were they really going to lose that tonight?

Draco continued in a low hiss, "This whole thing screams 'manipulation', Zephyr. Dumbledore _wants_ you to go after that damn Stone. He _wants _you to defend it, and he expects you to fail. You're a fool," he repeated, "if you do this knowing it's what he wants you to do." His grip tightened as Zephyr made to pull away. Damn it, he was going to make him see sense! "Look at me."

Reluctant and faintly angry emerald eyes met his.

Draco said softly, "You told me once that your name wasn't Harry Potter. You _told_ me you wouldn't do what Dumbledore wanted. And now you're going against that, Zephyr! By doing this, you're basically screaming that you're Harry-bloody-Potter!"

Zephyr winced again, and Draco wanted to back off. He wanted to…but if he did, that meant letting Zephyr go without a fight. It meant letting his friend turn into Dumbledore's pawn, and he wouldn't – couldn't – let that happen.

Draco's hopes died as Zephyr gave him a determined look.

"Do not fight me on this, Draco," Zephyr murmured. "I'm going…whether I leave this room with you still my friend, or I leave you my enemy."

It was Draco's turn to wince, and he flinched away from Zephyr, allowing a cold mask to take over his features. He wouldn't show how much that hurt. He wouldn't show his despair at watching Zephyr walk into Dumbledore's waiting hands.

But he did say, in a tone as icy as his expression, "When did you stop being the stubborn, smart kid I wanted to be friends with? When did you turn your back on all of us?"

And he turned, without waiting for Zephyr's reply, and shut the door in his friend's face.

**-0-0-0-**

**Hey! Steely here. I decided (in a fit of boredom) to post the new chapters that I have finished. Enjoy - all of you deserve this.  
**


	33. XXXIII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: -sigh- I wish I owned Harry Potter. I'd have written a better ending to the series. Joanne really disappointed us all with hers.

OoOoO

Evan jerked and spun, as quickly as he would have if he'd sensed someone about to attempt to sneak up on him. His switchblade had been transferred from his pocket to his hand in the same moment. At first he was confused – what had triggered the reaction? A moment ago he'd been meditating calmly, checking out his power, and now he was in a half-crouch, one knee pressed to the couch cushion, the other prepared to launch him into a fight.

Then he blinked when he remembered that this was also the reaction he'd had whenever he'd been away and Zephyr had done something he really wasn't supposed to. Even without seeing his little brother, Evan had known exactly what had happened and whether or not Zephyr was okay. Looking back, he supposed it was some kind of mix of his subconscious and his then-dormant magic.

Now, Evan knew _exactly_ where Zephyr was headed. And in a moment of sheer exasperation, he smacked himself in the forehead with the heel of his palm. "He's gone after the damned Stone," he groaned under his breath, suddenly leaning forward and dropping his head into his hands.

Oh, this was just…fucking…_brilliant._

OoOoO

Zephyr was shaking badly. He couldn't keep his hands still, and he was sure his face was white as a sheet. Right at this moment, he would have preferred to have Draco with him, even angry as the blonde had been with him, than to be facing this alone.

He swallowed hard, trying not to think of how much longer the charmed harp's song would last, as he pushed at the Cerberus' paw to get it off of the trap door. Every muscle in his body was tensed to flee, even though he probably wouldn't even make it to the door if the three-headed dog awoke.

Sweat trickled down the back of his neck. At least the harp was still playing, as he finally moved the paw the last few inches. He was dying to rest, but he couldn't afford to. Not when the dog might yet wake up.

Still shaking, and now fearful because the song seemed to be winding down, Zephyr pulled open the trap door. He couldn't see anything down the hole, so he lit his wand-tip with a murmur of the word "_lumos_". Even that didn't illuminate much.

Well aware of the last, soft notes of the harp fading into silence, he took a deep breath. Without thinking about it – because if he thought about it he wouldn't do it – he jumped.

OoOoO

Evan didn't pause as he strode out of Severus' fireplace. He crossed the rooms to the door, only pausing when the man himself asked what the hell he thought he was doing.

He looked back, narrowed his eyes, and said shortly, "I'm stopping my brother from running to his death."

Then he was running to the third floor, knowing that if he did, in fact, make it in time to stop Zephyr, they'd both probably have to face the Cerberus anyway.

Not for the first time in the last minute, Evan found himself cursing Zephyr's stubborn curiosity.

OoOoO

_I should have tried harder._

This wasn't the first time the thought had crossed Draco's mind.

_If I'd tried harder, he wouldn't have gone._

Well, maybe that wasn't true. Zephyr was both stubborn and curious – and when his curiosity awakened, he did everything he could to satisfy it.

Even if it meant playing right into the hands of a manipulative madman.

Draco groaned and dropped his head into his hands. He'd been staring at Zephyr's bed for the first ten minutes after he'd left, and now he was sitting on it, staring into space and berating himself for not trying harder to convince his friend not to go.

He knew it wasn't really his fault. That Zephyr had made his own choices. But he couldn't help feeling like this was his fault.

_Even if it's not my fault he ran in there…if he dies…I was the one who could have stopped him._

And that was what depressed Draco the most, because he knew it was true.

OoOoO

Hermione bit her lower lip worriedly as she placed a hand against the stone wall. Hogwarts was nearly _humming_ with distress. The magic contained within her walls was crackling, nearly lashing out.

Hermione knew that Hogwarts was not just a castle, as many believed. She had magic of her own, magic lost to the ages, and she would use that magic if one of her children was in danger.

And right now, Hogwarts was dangerously close to using it.

The brown-eyed girl frowned and tried to soothe Hogwarts with a burst of her own magic, to which Hogwarts showed her a flickering series of images. Zephyr leaping into a pit, a set of challenges he couldn't hope to face alone, Draco looking stricken, Evan looking faintly amused yet angry as he ran through the hallways. And finally, Dumbledore, with a self-satisfied smile firmly in place.

Gasping, Hermione pulled back. Hogwarts was basically pleading for help, asking her to go after her friend. But where had Zephyr gone?

An image of the Cerberus, asleep, flashed in her mind.

Her face became intimate with the palm of her hand.

"Zephyr, you…idiot."

OoOoO

Well, he had to admit he'd screwed up this time.

As one of the vines wrapped tightly around his knees, causing him to gasp in pain and surprise, he tried to remember what he'd heard about the Devil's Snare. _It's deadly fun…what was the next line?_ He wondered as the vines reached toward his throat.

Suddenly, a ball of black and dark purple…flames, it looked like came hurtling through the open trap door and exploded upon impact with the Devil's Snare. The plant seemed to shriek as it writhed to escape the rapidly expanding flames, and the vines holding Zephyr in place loosened enough that he could stand.

A moment later, a body leaped through the trap door and landed in a crouch, head bent down. Zephyr paused, unsure of who this was, until the person looked up.

Amethyst eyes, which had always been warm and tender, were practically glowing with anger and fear.

"How could you be so _stupid_?" Evan hissed, standing and striding toward him. He grasped Zephyr's shoulders tightly, but not so much that it was painful, and nearly growled, "_Why_ did you come down here? _Why_ didn't you listen to me when I said _don't do anything stupid_?!"

"I'm sorry," Zephyr muttered, not exactly sure how to handle Evan's temper.

"No," Evan hissed, pulling away. "You're not."

Zephyr flinched. He opened his mouth to say he really was sorry, but Evan whipped around and stalked off, and Zephyr could do nothing but sigh and follow.

Was Evan really angry with him…or was the situation more dangerous than he'd thought it would be?

OoOoO

Evan wasn't sure whether to let his anger take over, or his fear. He'd nearly lost Zephyr several times over the course of this year, but this was more dangerous than any of the other 'adventures' his brother had had. Because Dumbledore was involved, had set up the entire thing.

When they entered the next room, Evan blinked up at the things flying around the place. Birds? No…keys. Not far from the other door, an old broom was suspended in midair, as though waiting for someone to ride it.

Evan's instincts were screaming at him not to touch it. Telling him to summon the key they needed with his power. Another part of him, the one with many lives' worth of knowledge, whispered that it wouldn't be so easy. So he turned his head to look at his little brother.

"You have flown before," he said.

Zephyr was pale, but he nodded, seemingly afraid to meet Evan's eyes.

"You will need to now."

The child's head snapped up in disbelief. "But –"

"Look," Evan murmured, crossing the room and extending a hand as if to grasp the broom. His fingers were stopped about an inch away. "I cannot touch it. This was meant for you." Violet eyes flicked upward to catch bright green. "Be careful."

Warily, Zephyr approached, and was surprised when Evan gently ran his fingers through his hair. He was relieved that Evan wasn't angry at him, but worried because Evan's fingers were shaking. Confused, he looked up, trying to read his brother's expression.

He wasn't prepared to see the fear still in Evan's expression. Evan had _never_ let his fear show, even a little. Not even that one time Zephyr had nearly been knifed while attempting to take a man's wallet. He'd played the hero, he'd pushed Zephyr out of the way and still been quick enough to avoid taking the hit himself.

He hadn't let Zephyr know if he'd been afraid for him.

"I know how to do this," he said, trying to put Evan's mind at ease. "I won't fall."

Evan didn't reply. He gently traced Zephyr's jagged scar with a forefinger and stepped back to give his little brother room.

Zephyr took a deep breath and grabbed the broom.

OoOoO

Draco and Hermione ran smack into each other. He staggered. She fell over with a grunt.

When they realized who they'd run into, they said at the same time, "What are you doing out here?"

"Going after Zephyr," they answered each other, again in unison.

Hermione blinked and covered a giggle with a cough. Now wasn't the time to be laughing!

"He's gone after the Stone," she said, lowering her voice. Draco narrowed his hazel eyes at her. He looked like he was about to ask how she knew. She pushed herself to her feet and grabbed his hand, dragging him along with a cry of, "There's no time for talking! He needs us _now_!"

Then she ran into Snape, and fell over again, inevitably dragging Draco with her.

Snape glared at them both. Draco leaped to their defense.

"Zephyr's gone after the Stone!"

For a moment, the Potions Master was silent. Then he turned his back and said, "Go back to your dormitories. This is too dangerous for you to interfere."

OoOoO

_Well, that's two obstacles down._ Evan thought as he examined the floor interestedly. Black and white checkered tile, and huge stone statues shaped exactly like…chess pieces.

"Oh, shit," he breathed, careful not to let Zephyr hear. They had to play a game of _chess_? "We don't have time for this," he muttered. He strode toward the door, only to leap back as the line of pawns moved, unsheathing twin sharp-looking swords which were held out to bar the way. He breathed in shakily, then said, "Zephyr, take an empty square and _don't move_."

This was going to be a very, very dangerous game.

OoOoO

A while later, Evan finally called out, "Checkmate!" The king threw his crown at the Elemental's feet, and Evan nearly staggered forward. Never, in his life, had he played a more brutal game of chess. Sure, the pieces moved, and you played kind of like battleship, but it was basically a normal game. Someone who was a very good strategist had set this up.

"Let's move," he muttered.

Zephyr hurried forward and wrapped an arm around Evan's waist, in case he needed support. Well, partly. The very real danger in the situation was beginning to dawn on him, and he was also partly seeking comfort.

Evan squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, gently disentangled himself, and strode forward.

OoOoO

Evan frowned, turning as flames sprung up behind him. What…

"Evan, I think we're stuck…" Zephyr said nervously. Sure enough, in front of them were more flames…but a different color. Purple behind, black in front. What was this?

Spotting a sheet of paper, Evan picked it up and read it a few times before he lifted a surprised brow. "A logic puzzle," he murmured. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly. "This should be…fun."

He returned the paper and started to pace, his mind kicking into overdrive. Three were poison, two were nettle wine, one would send the drinker back the way they'd come, and one would allow the drinker to proceed. He began circling the table, touching different bottles and muttering under his breath, until a few minute later he snapped his fingers, the sharp sound making Zephyr jump, and said, "Got it."

He picked up the smallest bottle, frowned, and glanced at Zephyr. "There's barely a mouthful in here. Only enough for one of us." The one that would allow the drinker to go back he picked up in his free hand and studied with a deeper frown. "Same with this one…so one of us goes ahead, and one goes back for help." His lips twisted wryly. "Unfortunately we don't have a coin to flip."

"Rock, paper, scissors," Zephyr suggested.

Evan glanced at him. "Fine. Best two out of three."

"Fine." Zephyr stuck out his fist and Evan set down the bottle that would allow them through the black flame to do the same.

One, two, three. "Scissors cut paper," Evan said softly.

One, two, three. "Paper wraps rock," Zephyr countered.

One, two, three. "Rock smashes scissors."

Evan sighed, conceding defeat. He suddenly pulled his brother into a fierce hug. He could feel Zephyr burying his face in his shoulder. "Please…be careful," he breathed, pulling away to look his brother in the eyes as he took one of Zephyr's hands and pressing the small bottle into it.

"I will."

Zephyr uncorked the bottle and threw back the liquid inside, not wanting to taste it for too long. A moment later he wished he hadn't, and he gasped and shuddered as what felt like ice slid down his throat.

"Alright?" Evan asked concernedly.

"Yes, fine…but it's like I just swallowed a glass of ice water."

"See you soon, then, brother," the brunette said. He took a mouthful of his own potion, inhaled sharply, and strode through the purple flames as though they weren't even there.

Zephyr swallowed hard, and stepped through the black flames.

OoOoO

"He's coming."

Quirrel nodded, biting his lower lip nervously. So many things were hanging on this. And so many things could go wrong.

He reached out and stroked the cool glass with trembling fingertips. His life and his master's life hung in the balance. Quirrel was going to try and bring the boy's curiosity to attention.

If it failed, he would die, and his master would be right back where he'd started.

A small footstep behind him made him stand straighter. The child had arrived.

OoOoO

Evan hadn't been standing, staring into the flames long before Severus had shown up. The dark man had demanded to know where Zephyr was.

"He's gone through," Evan heard himself say. His voice sounded far away, and he was sure to Severus it would sound as if he was a million miles away. More to himself, he added, "I've failed…"

Severus unsympathetically smacked him out of his dazed state. "Snap out of it! If your mind is somewhere else, we won't be ready to get him when the flames die!"

"What?"

"When the Stone is retrieved or the Mirror destroyed, the flames will vanish," Severus snapped. "That's when you'll be able to get to your brother."

Evan sighed. "If it's not too late," he murmured, so softly he was almost sure Severus didn't hear him. But even if he didn't hear, he seemed to be sharing the same thought as he rested a hand on Evan's shoulder and squeezed gently, offering what little comfort he could.

OoOoO

Zephyr stood blinking for a moment, looking at the familiar turban and the pale face reflected in the very same mirror he'd seen his parents in. The Mirror of Erised. "So you're trying to steal it," he murmured.

Quirrel turned to face him. "Yes, Mr. Ventulus. As I've been trying all year."

Zephyr narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin. "Why?"

"That's not really your concern, is it?" Quirrel returned. "You shouldn't have come down here."

Zephyr resisted the urge to glance at the Mirror. He knew what he'd see. His parents, smiling at him and crying. Maybe trusting him to be brave. But he was fairly sure now that seeing his parents wasn't what he wanted. It wasn't his deepest, most desperate desire. He just wanted to live to see his brother happy again.

Quirrel cocked his head. "You shouldn't have come," he repeated, "but it is good that you are here. Someone wanted to speak to you. Someone who knows more about your past than you or your beloved brother."

"Don't say a word against Evan," Zephyr said, his voice soft and deadly. Quirrel seemed surprised to hear such a tone from him. "Insult me all you like, insult my dead parents, but say a word against Evan and my dagger will find a home between your ribs faster than you can say 'Quidditch'."

Quirrel actually smiled a bit at that. "I have no doubt, little warrior." Zephyr blinked, surprised. "Relax. I may intend to take the Stone but I won't harm you…unless you get in my way. Besides, it's not me that wanted to speak to you."

He started to undo his turban. Zephyr paused, confused, for just a second. Then he began to contemplate backing away.

"Turn around," a voice hissed. Zephyr twitched, his surprise showing for the moment. There wasn't another person here, was there? "I want to see him."

Quirrel turned back to the mirror, pulling the cloth off of his head as he did. And Zephyr froze in shock and confusion.

_There was another face in the back of Quirrel's head._

OoOoO

Lord Voldemort inhaled deeply, opening his eyes. Crimson, catlike eyes sought bright, stunned emerald. "Harry Potter," he hissed. "Or, to call you by your chosen name…Zephyr."

The boy was brave, he mused as Zephyr lifted his chin and said softly, "You know me." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Brave and smart, an unusual combination. Usually the brave tended to be the more brainless in society.

"I know more about you than you yourself. For example…I knew your parents."

Green eyes widened. "I guess you do know me," he muttered.

Voldemort briefly took control of Quirrel's body, having his servant turn around, and stride forward to brush aside a lock of hair so he could get a good look at the child's scar through his servant's eyes. "Hmm, yes," he said softly. "I also know that this mark did not come from me." He had Quirrel gently thumb the lightning-bolt scar and wondered who had left it.

Zephyr narrowed his eyes slightly. "What do you mean, 'didn't come from you'? It's just a scar, isn't it?"

Voldemort shook his head as best he could, knowing Quirrel's mirrored the action. "You don't get this kind of scar unless someone carves it into your forehead…or you've been marked by a Dark curse."

The boy was quiet for a while, and Voldemort continued to study the scar through Quirrel's eyes. What curse had left it? Not _Avada Kedavra_. Not the Killing Curse, like the wizarding world believed. No one could survive it. There was no way to block or deflect the curse, and as Harry had been one year old, he couldn't have known enough to dodge…

"You say you knew my parents," Zephyr said slowly after a minute.

"I did. Not well, but well enough to know they were smart people. They knew Dumbledore was insane…they knew, and they fled to me, to protect their unborn son."

The boy swallowed hard. "Me," he breathed. Voldemort nearly smiled. Yes, Zephyr was taking after his foster brother.

"I admit, at first I was wary," he continued. "Why would Lily and James Potter, well-known Light supporters, come running to me…the Dark Lord? But they were honest, and my followers were ready to welcome them into our circle. Lily asked me if I wanted to hold you whenever I checked on them," he added more softly. "She and James had nearly settled by the time you were born."

Zephyr blinked rapidly, feeling his eyes sting. He cleared his throat lightly, willing himself not to cry. "But something happened," he guessed, and was rewarded with a nod.

"Somehow, a year and five months after you were born, the news that Lily and James had gone Dark leaked to Dumbledore. The world only knows that I supposedly tried to kill them and you, but failed to kill you and I was defeated. That's why you were dubbed the Boy-Who-Lived." Voldemort was amused to see Zephyr curl his lip at the title. "But the true story is that I found out who leaked the information, took care of them, and went to check on your parents and you." For barely an instant, Quirrel's fingers faltered over Zephyr's scar. "I was…too late. James and Lily were dead, and Dumbledore was aiming his wand at you. I nearly wasn't fast enough to take the curse for you."

Voldemort made Quirrel back away from Harry, so the Dark Lord was staring at himself in the Mirror. "I have taken steps to ensure I will not die by mortal means. It's why I'm no better than a parasite, currently."

Zephyr met the blood-colored gaze squarely in the Mirror. "Why take the Stone, then?"

"I'm not after the Stone," Voldemort said softly. "All I wanted was a chance to talk civilly. Now that we've spoken, I must depart. But we will meet again, Zephyr Ventulus. Have no doubt about that."

He relinquished his control over Quirrel, giving his servant a mental order to replace the turban and guide Zephyr to the people he could trust.

The child watched as Quirrel pressed a hand to the mirror and muttered a word. Cracks ran from the hand to the sides of the mirror. As Quirrel retracted his hand, the glass slowly began to collapse in a glittering shower.

"Your brother is coming," Quirrel said to Zephyr, without looking at him. "I must go."

Zephyr's protest died on his lips when the man seemed to dissolve into a black mist. Quirrel melted into the nearest shadow and was gone before Zephyr could blink.

OoOoO

A week later, the school year ended with a magnificent feast that Zephyr did not attend. He wandered the deserted halls, just thinking of everything that had happened this year. Aylen was coiled loosely around his neck, not speaking. He was grateful for her presence, and they were silent, merely enjoying each other's company.

Zephyr's thoughts were hop-skipping from one topic to the next.

Was there even a Stone? If it was real, had it been moved? Why had it been defended so lightly?

Where had Voldemort gone? Was he still in the back of Quirrel's head? Was Draco -

Zephyr winced inwardly. Draco. He hadn't seen the blonde since the night he'd run off to find the Stone.

"Zephyr."

_Speak of the devil and he will come,_ Zephyr thought, turning to face his…friend? Enemy?

Draco was studying his nails. "The feast's over," he told his fingers. "Mom, Dad and your brother are looking for you."

Zephyr unstuck his throat. "Okay," he murmured. He turned towards Draco, and met expressionless mercury eyes. "Draco, I…I'm sorry," he tried. "I don't want you to be my enemy."

Draco closed his eyes with a soft sigh, pushed off the wall he'd been leaning against, and approached Zephyr. The green-eyed child resisted the urge to take a nervous step back. If Draco chose to hit him, he knew he deserved it.

He was therefore surprised when Draco pulled him into a brotherly embrace and pressed his face into Zephyr's shoulder.

"Idiot, idiot, idiot!" Draco muttered, feeling Aylen's tongue flick his ear. "You're the stupidest eleven-year-old the world's ever seen."

Zephyr, not sure how to respond to that, concentrated on Draco's familiar scent and remained silent.

"We're not enemies," Draco murmured, seeming to relax a bit. "I can't stay mad at you. Just…please…" Zephyr felt Draco's throat move against his collarbone as the blonde boy swallowed. "…Promise me you won't do anything like this again."

Zephyr sighed softly. "I promise to _try_ not to get into any more dangerous situations."

Draco pulled away, but he was smiling faintly. "Come on." He extended a hand towards one of Zephyr's. "Our families are waiting for us."


	34. XXXIV

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: -sigh- I wish I owned Harry Potter. I'd have written a better ending to the series. Joanne really disappointed us all with hers.

OoOoO

Stryker was toying with a small flame. Passing it from palm to palm, twisting it between her fingers, and trapping it between both hands to make it change from orange-red to any color she wanted. Currently, it was somewhere between sea-green and ice-blue. It was an interesting color and she could feel that it was pretty damn hot. She'd need to find out just _how_ hot.

Beside her, Hana was meditating, her lips moving slightly in an inaudible chant. Xavier was leaning against the back of one of two armchairs, conversing with Deidrick, who was sitting in it and had to tip his head back to see the blue-eyed man.

Without hesitation, Stryker cupped her hands around the flame and blew gently to extinguish it, reveling in the subtle, sweet scent of the smoke. Then she turned her head to regard Hana curiously.

The Light Elemental was sitting on the floor like Stryker, leaning against the back of the couch with her head tipped up. Her ice-blue eyes were closed, as though she was sleeping, but the movement of her lips showed that she was probably speaking to one of the spirits that only she could hear and see. And at the same time, Hana was probably keeping a close eye on the bonds they shared, in case something happened while she was in this state. She needed to be able to wake up from and slip back into this state quickly, Stryker had learned, or she'd be killed before she could move.

That was why none of them were to bother her unless it was extremely important.

The fireplace flared suddenly with acidic green flames, and Lucius stepped out, followed closely by his son. Then Narcissa came through. Then Zephyr, who bounced over to Stryker to greet her with a warm hug that startled her. And finally Evan stepped out. Deidrick smiled at the brunette, and Xavier gave him a brief nod. When amethyst eyes flickered to her, Stryker felt her lips turn up in the smallest of smiles.

"Welcome back," Xavier said, watching with faint amusement as Zephyr arranged himself so he sat with his arms around Stryker's neck and his chin resting on her shoulder. Without thinking, she rested her arms comfortably around his torso and let her head rest on his.

"Did you have a fun rest of the year, little speaker?" she murmured, feeling his sigh in a puff of warm air on her skin.

"It was okay, I guess."

Zephyr didn't feel much like talking. He was exhausted from this year, and Stryker practically radiated heat…it made him feel warm and sleepy. As he settled himself into a more comfortable position, he heard her chuckle faintly before he yawned and fell asleep.

OoOoO

Evan sat on Zephyr's bed, gently stroking the soft black hair as he hummed a low, haunting song. Only a week since he'd come back, and it already felt as though he'd never left.

Evan gave a soft sigh. His little brother had been through too much. Dumbledore was expecting too much. The _world_ was expecting too much. Zephyr was only eleven – nearing twelve.

The brunette gently twisted a lock of the black hair around his finger, and released it a moment later only to repeat the action. Somehow it was calming to play with Zephyr's hair…as if by being able to touch the child made him more real, more human, somehow.

Zephyr sighed softly in sleep and stirred a bit, but didn't wake. Aylen, curled up beside Zephyr's head, gave a soft hiss. Evan smiled faintly, stood without jostling the pair in the slightest, and left the room, closing the door behind him with only the faintest sound.

OoOoO

July first saw Zephyr and Stryker taking a stroll around the well-tended and healthy gardens. They weren't speaking, just enjoying each other's company. Her arm was laid casually around his shoulders, as if they'd known each other forever. His arm was wrapped around her waist, and he reveled in how warm she was – she practically _radiated_ heat, like a real flame. Her skin felt feverish to the touch, but she'd reassured him that it was completely normal. And she'd added, in a tone of amusement that the others often came to her when it was cold for warmth.

Aylen was wrapped contentedly around Zephyr's neck, and he found himself remembering the day they'd met. She'd grown about a foot, but she was still slender – her entire body width was just about the same as two of his fingers.

Stryker steered them back toward the house with a gentle nudge, and though neither of them had spoken a word the entire time they'd been out, it was as though they'd been bonding. As they entered the Malfoy residence, she offered a small smile and slipped off toward her room.

OoOoO

Zephyr was practically vibrating with excitement. Today was July thirty-first, his twelfth birthday. Severus had come over to visit, and Zephyr had greeted the man with an enthusiastic hug that startled the professor. The dark man's expression had amused Evan to no end, if the twitching corners of his mouth were anything to go by.

That had been roughly half an hour ago, and Evan had since slipped off unnoticed. Now Zephyr was hunting for his brother, though Xavier and Hana had both assured him there was nothing to worry about.

Soft music attracted the birthday boy's attention, and he followed it, sure that he was about to find Draco practicing the piano. The blonde said the lessons were a bore and totally Muggle, but Draco was very talented and enjoyed playing, despite his complaints. Zephyr often admitted to himself that he wanted to learn, too – the music Draco created was beautiful.

Instead of finding the back of a blonde head, Zephyr found himself facing the back of Evan's head. The brunette sat straight, his fingers skillfully playing a slow, sweet, yet sad melody. It was obvious Evan was more relaxed than he'd ever been.

Zephyr crept forward, and once he was right behind his older brother, he whispered, "I didn't know you could play." A slight twitch was the only sign that Evan had been caught off-guard, and his fingers slowed to a halt on the keys, stopping the song. Amethyst eyes met emerald green.

"Now you know," Evan murmured.

"I was looking for you," Zephyr said unnecessarily. "You've been gone half an hour."

One corner of Evan's mouth pulled up in a crooked smile. "Proof of how I can lose myself in the music," he said as he stood. He stepped over the bench and picked Zephyr up, tucking him neatly under one arm.

"Hey!" Zephyr yelped. "Put me down, Evan!"

Evan merely grinned and carried him out of the room, heading towards where he'd left the others. Zephyr pouted. He kept pouting until Evan dumped him unceremoniously on the couch and dropped onto a seat beside him.

"Come on, birthday boy," Hana teased. "Presents!"

Zephyr immediately stopped glaring at his brother and turned his attention to the auburn-haired woman. She smiled, her bright blue eyes warm, and took his arm in her hand. The cool metal of the arm band the Elementals had given him the previous year pressed lightly into his skin.

"This year…you get an individual gift from all of us," the Light Elemental whispered, lifting her index finger to her lips. Before Zephyr realized what she was doing, she stuck it in her mouth and bit down, hard enough to draw blood. When she pulled her finger away, a crimson drop was forming at the tip of her finger. She allowed it to hang there for a second, then shook her hand hard enough to dislodge it. It fell onto one of the seeming random patterns on the band, which flared with an ice blue light.

Zephyr watched, torn between shock and fascination, as the pattern moved, until it formed a crescent moon. Even after the light died down, it glowed, faint ice-blue.

He looked up at Hana, unable to make his tongue form words. She seemed to understand, though, because she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his forehead in the softest of kisses before she drew away. Deidrick took her place. Deep, shadowed green eyes met Zephyr's bright, acidic green.

Deidrick didn't bite his finger. Instead, never taking his gaze from Zephyr's, he lifted his palm and bit into the soft flesh of the heel. While he was waiting for the blood to well up, he turned over Zephyr's arm and traced another, different pattern with the nail of his pinky. Then he turned over his hand and allowed a single, glittering red drop to fall.

This time the light was dark green, nearly the color of Deidrick's eyes. The pattern his blood had fallen on shifted, to form a leaf that glowed softly green. Deidrick hugged him briefly, and the uneven blonde hair brushed Zephyr's cheek for a second. It was softer than he'd imagined.

Xavier was next. He turned Zephyr's arm over again, found the pattern that was seemingly his, and bit into his wrist. When the blood hit it, the design writhed and twisted to form an ornate snowflake, and glowed a deeper blue than Hana's.

Then came Evan, who smiled, and pulled out his switchblade. He slashed open the back of his hand casually, and Zephyr drew in his breath, alarmed to see blood welling up quicker than the others. Evan held his hand over the pattern next to Hana's moon, and allowed the crimson liquid to drip.

Zephyr gasped when he saw Evan's marking. It was…beautiful. It was like a ribbon that twisted in on itself over and over, with no real beginning, but it was also a triangle. It was black, but the edges glowed a soft violet, a few shades lighter than his brother's eyes.

When Zephyr looked up, Evan smiled faintly and gently stroked some of Zephyr's unruly hair from his forehead, revealing the jagged lightning-bolt scar. Yet again, Zephyr was without words, but Evan didn't seem to mind too much. In fact, the silence seemed to mean more to the Elementals than a "thank you".

Then it was Stryker's turn. She nonchalantly made a small cut in the crook of her elbow, gathered a few drops' worth of blood on the blade, and knocked them off onto the last pattern. The metal hissed, as though acid had been poured onto it, and for just a second, Zephyr wondered if now would be a good time to be worried. But then the pattern settled into what seemed to be some sort of bird, which glowed warm yellow at the tip of its tail. The color darkened, until it reached the tip of the bird's wings and was a dark, fiery orange-red. Zephyr rather thought that one of those shades would match Stryker's eyes exactly.

When he voiced the thought, she chuckled, and Hana giggled.

"Sharp eyes, little speaker," Stryker complimented him. Then she explained that the bird was a phoenix, and suggested that he should read up on them if he was interested.

Curious, Zephyr ran his fingers over the new designs. Hana's didn't really have a feel, but a tingle ran through him, as though he was being greeted by an old, invisible friend. Deidrick's felt deep and dark as a real forest, full of shadows and mystery, and secrets ready to be unlocked. Xavier's was cool to the touch and seemed to send out waves of calm serenity, like a still lake in the morning. Evan's felt warm, familiar, and comforting. It was like being wrapped in a hug by every person he knew and trusted at the same time. Stryker's phoenix was so warm, it almost felt like he would have to remove his fingers or be burned, but he kept running them over the bird's beautiful design. It had the beauty of flame, the brilliance of flame, and the warmth of flame all in one.

"You're not done yet," Lucius said, and Zephyr looked up to see him handing out a small pile of gifts. "From Severus, Narcissa, Draco and I, and one that arrived with the mail today."

Zephyr took the gifts from Lucius and picked up the one with the note attached first, figuring it was the one that came in the mail. He opened the letter, skimmed down to the signature, and smiled. It was from Hermione. She had a good owl; that was for sure. He settled back to read.

'_Dear Zephyr,_

'_First of all, happy birthday! You're probably wondering how I know – and Draco told me, while you were off wandering before we all left to enjoy the summer. A great friend, you know. He doesn't blame you for running off that night. In fact, he said if it was him in your shoes, he'd probably have done the same thing. So don't be mad at him for too long. Please?_

'_So, how are you? How's your brother? Tell him and Draco that I say hi!_

'_If you're wondering what exactly your gift was, I'll explain. It's a book on useful charms and hexes, great for use on any enemy you may have. Not many of them are too painful, so you won't get in trouble for using them, although there are a few that could be considered a little dangerous._

'_Here's hoping you're well. I'm looking forward to your return letter._

'_Hermione.'_

He carefully set the latter aside and picked up the gift. He opened it slowly, not sure what to expect, and couldn't keep back a smile. Oh, he could _use_ this. A few people had been annoying him lately – following him around, asking if he was Harry Potter, asking to see if he had the scar.

Draco moved from his place next to Severus to sit next to Zephyr as his gift was opened. At first Zephyr was puzzled. Then Draco explained, "It's a two-way mirror. My parents have already given your brother the other one. This way you can talk and see each other's faces without the hassle of writing letters and Flooing."

A moment later, Draco had an armful of excited twelve-year-old, and it was chanting "thank you" over and over. He laughed and hugged Zephyr back. "You're welcome."

Severus had gotten the raven-haired child the second-year Potions book and said he'd need it, and a white-gold ring, which according to the professor, had belonged to his mother. Lucius and Narcissa gave Zephyr a coin that he need only rub his thumb over to let them know he needed help, with the assurance that they both had one like it, and a book on magical creatures, where they lived, and what to do if he encountered one of them.

Zephyr thanked everyone the same way he had Draco, to the blonde boy's intense amusement.

Zephyr had pulled Severus to the side afterward and asked him something Draco was too far away to really hear, but the older man nodded and was hugged yet again.

OoOoO

That night, Zephyr couldn't get to sleep. Not even the soft hissing of Aylen, who was curled up in the crook of his neck, could lull him to the state where he could convince himself to sleep. So he lay, tracing the designs on his arm band over and over again. From time to time he reached up to make sure the wolf-charm necklace Evan had given him on his eleventh birthday was still around his neck.

Then his hand slipped to his dagger. Another gift he treasured dearly. It hadn't yet been stained with blood. He hadn't killed anyone or used it to fight.

He turned his attention next to the ring Severus had said belonged to his mother. It was plain, but it seemed to pulse with reassuring magic. It had been his mother's…it was nice to have something from both of his parents.

Zephyr's eyes slipped closed. He was tired out, and just wanted to sleep, no matter how active his mind was.

OoOoO

Not long after Zephyr's birthday, Draco dragged him aside, holding a ceremonial knife in one hand and with a question on his lips. "Do you feel up to helping me with something?"

The green-eyed boy cocked his head curiously. "Like what?" That's right, he was cautious after what happened to him and Evan…that was good. Far better than being trusting.

"A small ritual." Draco licked his lips nervously. He already knew he wanted this – everything rested on the boy in front of him. "Look, we're close as brothers…right?" Zephyr blinked and nodded. "Right. So, I was thinking…why not become blood siblings? It wouldn't make us related, but, we'd be closer than ever."

Those vivid eyes narrowed a bit. "This isn't because of our fight about the Stone, is it?" Zephyr asked. "This isn't just you reassuring yourself the old bond is still there?"

"No!" Draco protested. "It's just…mother and father don't want a second child, so I'll never have a younger sibling…so I was wondering if you would be my blood-brother."

The suspicion cleared, and Zephyr's gaze softened. Draco breathed a mental sigh of relief. "Tell me what I need to do," Zephyr said.

"Just cut your finger – the ritual only needs a drop of blood – and say the final word with me when I've finished the spell. 'Seal.' It finishes the bond." Draco was nervous still, even as Zephyr took the knife from his hands and held it curiously for a moment. Then the black-haired child cut open the tip of his index finger with a quick, precise movement.

--

Evan's head snapped up as the wave of magic surged over his awareness. He was on his feet and running for the room he felt Zephyr in before the others with him – Lucius, Xavier, and Narcissa – realized he'd moved.

He skidded to a halt just as the two children said solemnly, "Seal."

Another wave of magic hit the Elemental, making his amethyst eyes widen. When Zephyr looked up at him, green eyes clear and calm, he wanted to slump against the doorframe with relief.

"Meet my new blood-brother, Evan," Zephyr said, and Evan wasn't sure whether to take the child into his arms and never let go, or smash his head into the nearest solid object in exasperation.

"You'll be the death of me, kid," he said after a long pause, and Zephyr's stifled laugh made him smile faintly.

OoOoO

Summer was yet again drawing to a close, and Evan was spending one of the last days he'd have with his brother just relaxing with the child. Currently, the pair was reading in the library of the manor. Evan was sitting in a chair, Zephyr in his lap. Zephyr was holding the book, brow furrowed in concentration as his eyes flickered over the pages. Evan had his arms wound lightly around Zephyr's waist and was reading with his chin resting on the child's shoulder. They read at about the same pace, so there was no confusion as to where the other was and when Zephyr could turn the page.

Draco was sprawled in another chair, one leg over one arm and the other draped over the edge of the seat, one of his hands supporting the book he had his nose poked into, his torso tucked comfortably between the back of the chair and the other arm of the chair, and his other hand cradling his head.

It was this scene that Narcissa Malfoy walked in on, and she had to smile. After the initial, "Draconis Lucius Malfoy, you did _what_?!" and the indignation of not being asked for permission, she and Lucius had settled easily into the idea of their son having a blood-brother. Apparently, Evan had as well, because from time to time he could be found speaking with the Malfoy heir as easily as he did with Zephyr.

Narcissa cleared her throat lightly to gain the attention of the three. When their eyes settled on her, the children looking annoyed at being interrupted, she said, "It's time for lunch. Will you be eating in here?"

Draco shook his head and set his book a side, marking his page, but Evan and Zephyr made no move to leave.

"Forgive me, Lady Narcissa, but I am not hungry," the Darkness Elemental said, and Zephyr politely asked for some juice.

"Of course," she said. "And please – it's Narcissa."

Evan inclined his head and he and his brother returned to their reading.

OoOoO

"I don't want to go." The words were muffled, as Zephyr currently had his cheek pressed to Evan's chest. The violet-eyed man smiled sadly, tightening his arm around Zephyr's shoulders. Zephyr had crept into Evan's room tonight, the night before he would have to go back to Hogwarts, and climbed into his brother's bed, demanding that Evan lay down with him. The child was now half on Evan's chest and his eyes were half-closed, seemingly exhausted.

"But you must," Evan murmured. "You have a lot to learn – and so do I." At the puzzled look he received, he elaborated, "I don't know what I can and can't do, yet. I'm not so foolish as to think I don't have limits, so I have to train with the others. I have to know when to stop before I exhaust myself. I have to know what's beyond me – and what's within my capabilities."

"But the night you came after me –" Zephyr began, confused.

"I was angry," Evan said, closing his eyes with a quiet sigh. "And I was scared. I…lost control. I never left your side while you were in the infirmary, and when I was sure you were fine, Severus dragged me back here, where I collapsed from exhaustion. I overdid it that night. If I were to lose control like that in a situation where it was me or my enemy…I would lose my life as well."

Zephyr didn't want to think about Evan dying, so he just asked, "You were scared?"

"Yes."

The child frowned at the short answer. "Why?"

Evan was silent for a moment. His voice rumbled in his chest as he finally said, "I thought I might lose you."

They were silent after that, but the Elemental's words seemed to hang in the air long after he had stopped speaking.

OoOoO

Her tongue flickered out and back in, tasting the scents of her Zephyr and his nest mate. Bright, gleaming yellow eyes watched as they slept comfortably, the older for once resting peacefully instead of his normal tormented, fragmented sleep. She was glad for that – he needed rest far more than the young speaker.

But she could not rest this night. There was an itch under her scales, like the need to shed her skin, that wouldn't allow her to sleep.

Every time she thought she might be getting close to the answer for her state of unrest, it scuttled away like a skittish mouse, to a corner of her mind where she could not follow. It was very nearly driving her mad.

One thing she was sure of – she needed to be with her _koishii_, to keep him safe. Her Zephyr needed her. And he would need her more than ever, she felt, because something even bigger was going to happen to him. She wasn't sure what – it was just a feeling.

A feeling that set her fangs on edge and made her scales crawl. It made her want to bite the first thing, be it person or animal, that tried to hurt her little speaker or his nest mate.

Danger loomed on the horizon, dark and forbidding as storm clouds. And she was just as powerless to stop it coming, as she was against the weather.

She hated the feeling…because anything that was a threat to Zephyr, was a threat to the Elementals – they all would put their life on the line for the hatchling.

And that was something…the world could not afford.


	35. XXXV

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: -sigh- I wish I owned Harry Potter. I'd have written a better ending to the series. Joanne really disappointed us all with hers.

OoOoO

Zephyr bit his lip, twisting his head to look back at Evan as Draco and Hermione, who they'd met up with on the platform, guided him onto the train. His brother stood nonchalantly, watching him go, hands in the pockets of his shirt. A few strands of his long hair were blowing in his face, but he made no move to push them away.

"I don't want to go," Zephyr breathed.

Draco's grip on his shoulder tightened briefly, and Hermione wound her arm around his waist. He was glad he wasn't going alone.

"I know," Draco murmured, keeping his voice low as a few excitedly chattering teens walked past them. "But you must. We don't want Dumbles looking for you…we can't afford to let him find the others."

"We wouldn't let him do anything," Zephyr growled. "We'd go down fighting if we had to." Hermione's arm squeezed gently.

"We know that," she soothed. "But the Elementals are needed." She'd taken Evan's involvement in the legend pretty well. She had, however, been outraged to hear that Evan and the other Elementals had to go into hiding because of one old man.

Zephyr suddenly sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Yeah. I know." Draco and Hermione gently ushered him into a compartment and the blonde shut the door behind them.

They had barely sat down when it opened again. Zephyr looked up, narrowing his eyes. This had better be extremely important.

A shock of red hair, freckles over most of his face, pathetic blue eyes. Acidic eyes narrowed further, and across from him, Draco's pale, handsome face twisted into a sneer. Hermione seemed torn between rolling her eyes and just ignoring their unwanted guest.

Zephyr didn't know this boy _personally_, but he knew that he thought all people not in Gryffindor were lower than trash.

"Well, what do we have here?" the boy sneered. "Two slimy snakes and a raven too stupid to fly away from them."

Hermione visibly bristled. Zephyr would've smirked, but there was nothing at all amusing about the situation. Instead he allowed his scowl to deepen.

"What do we have invading our compartment?" Hermione spat back. "A lone lion with not enough brains to know he's just bitten off more than he can chew." She whipped out her wand as Ron spluttered, his face slowly turning as red as his hair.

Zephyr rested a hand on Hermione's arm, stopping her from casting one of the many nasty spells he was sure she knew. He blanked his face as he turned his head back towards the invading boy. "I suggest you leave quickly," he said in a low, silky tone. "Before I let her attack you."

"Yes, Weasley," Draco drawled. "It'd be terrible if you were to arrive at the school…minus a few body parts, wouldn't it." His tone clearly said he didn't care if the Weasley boy arrived minus a _head_.

The threat made Weasley's face twist with rage, but apparently he had enough brains to know when he was outclassed. As he backed out of the compartment, he growled in a tone clearly meant to be menacing, "This isn't over."

Before he left, Zephyr said softly, "It never even started." Draco reached over and slammed the door in Weasley's face, with a certain dark satisfaction.

The three were silent for a moment. Then Hermione said, "Well…that was fun." Draco and Zephyr traded grins.

OoOoO

_A golden-haired man strutting in front of a room…quick flashes of people so still they must be dead…a soft voice, hissing too faintly to make out…a bathroom…the quiet rasp of Parseltongue, again too soft to make out the words…a small, red-haired girl lying on an unfamiliar stone floor, her chest barely rising and falling as she breathed…and eyes, so intensely brown they seemed to have streaks of red in them, staring into his own._

"…phyr? Zephyr! Wake up – we're here." His eyes snapped open. At first he was disoriented, the fading echoes of his dream confusing him…then he remembered, and sat up quickly. Too quickly. The sudden dizziness that assaulted him almost made him fall back against the seat. He was suddenly glad he'd changed before he fell asleep…he'd never have had time now.

Draco's silver eyes met his as the blonde helped him to stand, slower this time.

"I really, _really_ hate coming here," Zephyr grumbled.

"Don't make me go over it again," Draco deadpanned. Zephyr aimed a scowl his way. Draco just smirked back.

OoOoO

Evan dragged his fingers through his hair as the train left his sight. With a sigh, he turned to leave the platform. He had no reason to stay longer.

As he slipped through the barrier, his thoughts turned to the other Elementals. _If someone had told me a month ago that I'd soon realize magic was real and that I wasn't really twenty-one, but a couple billion years old,_ he thought, feeling his lips threatening to twist into a wry smile, _I would have called them insane. If I didn't kill them first for assuming to know me._

Thoughts of his real age turned to thoughts of his birthday. Last year, it had come and gone without him saying a word to Zephyr, or the Elementals. Evan closed his eyes with a quiet sigh. He didn't want people getting excited because he'd made it one more year. It was just a day…like any other day of the year. It wasn't special. He didn't want people to _make_ it special.

So he stayed quiet. The only birthday that mattered to him was Zephyr's. And that's how it would stay.

OoOoO

The minute Evan stepped out of the fireplace, the emerald flames dying behind him, his bad leg gave a sudden stab of pain; not a second later, a pang of deep, burning anger came from somewhere in his chest. The violet-eyed man let out a soft string of curses and limped over to the plush couch. As he sat, Hana stepped into the room. She looked surprised to see him, her ice-colored eyes widening slightly.

"Oh – you're back," she said. He turned his head to look at her, absently rubbing his calf.

"Yeah. I guess I am." Hana's gaze honed in on the hand that was still massaging the sore muscle before she examined his pained grimace. She didn't say anything, but worry, for more than just his well-being, darkened her countenance. "Missed me?"

Her usually bright smile seemed a little strained as she replied, "Only every second you were gone." Suspicion began to wake in Evan's mind. Why was the normally bubbly woman so subdued?

"Did something happen while I was gone?" Evan asked, starting to stand. She put out a hand as if to push him back, signaling he should stay put. A second stab of anger from the bond made him wince.

"No, everything's fine," she said. Evan narrowed his eyes, his suspicions hardening as he felt a stab of guilt coming from her. Everything _could not_ be fine. Something was very wrong. "Or…well…not everything." Hana sighed heavily, seeming to pick up on his thoughts. "Xavier and Stryker got into a fight. She stormed off and he's holed up in his room. No one's seen her come back yet, but we can all tell she's still angry."

"Haven't you looked for her?" Evan forced himself to stand, ignoring the protests from his injured leg. However much he wanted to rest, he wouldn't be able to, with Stryker's anger coursing through him. Even Xavier's normally calm state had collapsed into seething fury.

Alarm flared in Hana's bright blue eyes. "Looked for her? When she's this angry? It would be suicide! Have you forgotten she's the _Fire_ Elemental, Evan?"

"Of course I haven't," he murmured. "But we can't just leave her to simmer like this." His bad leg was beginning to shake. A firm hand pushing on his shoulder made him look up into unfathomable green eyes, as deep and dark as a real forest.

"Your leg may be healed, but putting too much strain on it will do as much damage – if not more – than before," Deidrick said softly. He turned his gaze from Evan to Hana, lifting one long, pale finger to trace his lower lip thoughtfully. Evan got the idea that he had started listening long before he'd intervened.

"I agree that we shouldn't just leave Stryker to work it out on her own," the Earth Elemental said. Hana's unnaturally blue eyes flashed, as if she was about to retort, but before she could speak, Deidrick turned back to Evan. "But Hana is right, too. Going after Stryker – especially when she's this angry – would be dangerous."

Evan felt his lip curl. This time, the faint stirrings of anger he felt were his own. "Explain why."

Hana reached up to rub her temples with a resigned sigh, as if she was thinking him stupid. "Evan, there's a reason Stryker's element is Fire and not, for example, Air," she began, her tone only thinly veiling her impatience.

"Have you ever closely studied a flame?" Deidrick asked, more calmly. His eyes glazed over slightly, as if he was picturing it. "It doesn't stay still – it dances, it breathes. Even if you held your breath, it would still be moving. Because fire is a being all its own. It has _life_."

Hana glanced from the blonde man to Evan. "If you could make a fire into a person, you would have Stryker," she said simply. "She is as deadly – as _unpredictable_ – as her element. Normally, if you're careful, flames can be tamed." She nodded at the fireplace. "They can be contained, smothered if need be. But…." She fell silent. That seemed to be the end of her words – that "but". Evan caught a flicker of extreme distress amidst the turmoil her end of the bond was transmitting.

"But," Evan prompted.

"But picture a forest fire," Deidrick breathed, closing his eyes. "A simple spark is all it takes. Before long, it's out of control. If you did nothing – if you let it burn – you would see just how _powerful_ flames can be. But eventually, they would somehow be put out. If you, by accident, fanned the flames…there would be no stopping it." From him, Evan picked up awe, wonder – and a trace of fear.

"_She_ would be unstoppable," Hana said, seemingly willing Evan to understand. "If you made her angrier, she could kill us all and maybe more, without even meaning to."

OoOoO

"So we're back," Zephyr murmured, looking around the Slytherin common room. It looked exactly the same as it had last year – but was that so surprising, when it was unlikely things would be moved around year after year? Nope.

"Yep," Draco said, clasping his hands over his head and stretching up as far as he could. His shirt rode up a bit, making a few first- and second-year girls blush and giggle. Zephyr resisted the urge to roll his eyes at them.

"It's like coming back to a distant relatives' house again and again," a third-year boy grimaced, looking around.

Draco glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "You don't like it here?"

The boy shook his head slowly. "Nah. It's a bit _too_ homey, if you know what I mean."

The silver eyed boy looked around a second time, and then pulled a face. "Yeah. I see your point."

Zephyr eyed the third-year curiously. He had chin-length brown hair and light green eyes. He had an athletic build like a runner's, thin and lithe, and he was pretty tall. Slowly, Zephyr extended a hand, saying quietly, "Zephyr Ventulus. Pleasure to meet you."

For a second, the older boy looked a bit surprised. Then he smiled. "Where are my manners? Adrian North. Nice to meet you too." He took Zephyr's hand and they shook.

Draco offered his hand as well. "Draco Malfoy." He shook with Adrian. The third-year cocked his head thoughtfully.

"Malfoy – any relation to Abraxas Malfoy?"

Draco nodded a shadow of sorrow touching his gray eyes. "He was my grandfather."

Adrian blinked, seemingly surprised. "No kidding. He was friends with _my_ grandfather."

Realization crossed Draco's face. "I knew I knew your name. Your grandfather is Sven North, right?" he asked. Adrian nodded.

Zephyr took the opportunity to try to slip away unnoticed. He was beginning to feel awkward, just standing here. But before he got far, Draco's hand shot out and caught his wrist. "Where do you think you're going?" his friend demanded, narrowing his eyes.

The green-eyed boy searched desperately for an answer that would appease the blonde. "I – I was going to leave you two alone to get to know each other," he said. Draco's eyes narrowed further; he was clearly not impressed with the excuse. "Oh, come on! I'm not going anywhere! Just to the dorm!" Zephyr added, trying to reclaim his hand.

Adrian, watching the spectacle with a faintly amused expression, said to Draco, "If you're so determined not to let him out of your sight, Draco, why not go with him? I'm not going to get up and vanish – we've got the whole school year to talk."

Draco hesitated. "Are you sure?"

Adrian smiled. "Positive. Anyway, it's not like I'm alone – the other third-years and I are good friends." He waved. "See you in the morning, guys. It was nice meeting you both."

"Okay. Bye, then." Not releasing Zephyr's wrist, Draco dragged him to the second-year boys' dorm. Thankfully, it was empty, and after Draco shut the door he rounded on Zephyr.

"You didn't have to leave because we were talking," he said quietly. Zephyr blinked and looked away.

"I didn't want to intrude," he muttered.

"You and Adrian would get along great, too, if you would open your mouth, you know."

The uncomfortable look vanished, and Zephyr gave Draco and mischievous look. "Trying to set me up, Draco?" he teased. The blonde seemed to choke on his own spit and coughed for a few minutes while Zephyr watched, deeply amused. "I don't need help, you know. Neither do you, from the look on those girls' faces." Draco choked again. Zephyr laughed long and hard at his friend's beet-red race.

OoOoO

A soft hiss announced the arrival of her master. She couldn't see him clearly – to her, he was completely surrounded by a dark black aura. He smelled like blood and Dark magic. He had changed. But that was alright.

Many, many seasons had passed since they'd seen each other. She'd waited through newleaf after newleaf, leaftime after leaftime, leaf-fall after leaf-fall, earthsleep after earthsleep. But she'd never given up hope. When her master made a promise, he always kept to his word.

Slowly, she made her way out of the shadows to greet him. Then she paused. Something was…different. There was white mixed in with the black. Was her master a Light wizard now? No – he would never have changed his ways. He despised that old man too much.

The scent was different, too. Along with blood and dark magic, she could smell chocolate and honey – female scents. She narrowed her eyes. Who was this person, who spoke the tongue of serpents, who smelled like her master and yet clearly was not?

"_Who dares to awaken me from my slumber?"_ she snarled, lifting her massive head to glare. _"Speak!"_

"_My lovely,"_ a deep, familiar voice murmured tenderly. _"My beautiful, beautiful Viridis. It's been far too long since I last heard your voice."_ A small hand reached out, touched the snake's hide.

To say she was surprised would be an understatement. The voice was her master's – yet the touch was feminine. The hand was too small, too delicate to be his. _"Master,"_ she hissed softly. _"It is you…and yet, it is not. What has happened since we parted so long ago?"_

She received no answer. Deep sadness seemed to come from her speaker. _"Much has happened,"_ he hissed at last. _"Too much to tell in the minutes we have left. I will be back, very soon. I promised I would get you out – and I will."_

She was surprised. _"Do you not know how?"_

"_Not yet. I will find out, though. I will. I swear it."_

She brought her nose to this human's forehead to inhale their scent. Blood and Dark magic, and chocolate and honey. Her tamer was in his young girl's body, somewhere. _"Do not push yourself too hard, child,"_ she murmured. Her master started to make an indignant reply, and she let out a low rumble; the equivalent of a human laugh. _"No matter how old you are now, I will always be much older. You will always be a child to me."_

He sighed. _"I know."_ A tiny hand stroked her scales. _"But it's because I __**am**__ older now that I have a chance at freeing you. I know much more than I did back then."_ He glanced over his shoulder. _"I must go now, Viridis. Go carefully."_

"_Go carefully, young one,"_ she hissed, turning to return to her resting place. She looked back to add, _"And don't do anything too reckless for my sake. I have waited this long for you – I can wait a little longer."_

"_I hope you won't have to,"_ her master called back, before he vanished through a small entrance in the tunnel wall.

The Guardian let out a long, slow sigh. _"Oh, little one,"_ she hissed to herself. _"Be careful. There are many dangers for you in the castle. I hope you know what you're doing."_

Then the entrance slid shut behind her, and she was enveloped in the soft, warm darkness of her home.

**-0-0-0-**

**Okay, I apologize for this being MAJORLY late. Sorry, sorry, sorry! Don't throw things at me! -yelps and ducks rotten tomatoes-**

**At least I got it in at the beginning of 2010 and not almost halfway through the year. XD I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner. Terribly sorry, I hope this won't happen again!**


	36. XXXVI

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: -sigh- I wish I owned Harry Potter. I'd have written a better ending to the series. Joanne really disappointed us all with hers.

OoOoO

Zephyr sat on the edge of his bed, turning the two-way mirror in his hands. It was two weeks into term, and while Draco, Aylen and Adrian were great friends and company, he wanted to talk to Evan. He wanted to be able to hear his brother's voice again. He wanted to see Evan's face. He lifted the mirror and said into it softly, "Evan?"

He waited a minute before the familiar face appeared in the mirror. A faint smile curved Evan's lips as he greeted Zephyr, "You called?" Zephyr couldn't help but smile back as he nodded. Evan pushed some hair out of his face and asked, "How are things?"

"As usual," Zephyr said, unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "Dumbledore is being annoying, there's a new Defense against Dark Arts teacher, and I made friends with one of the third-year Slytherin boys."

Amethyst eyes glittered at the mention of Dumbledore. "What's the Mad Hatter riding you about, this time?"

Zephyr grinned. "He says I should be with my 'real family'." He shifted so he was lying on his side in a more comfortable position. "I keep on telling him _you're_ my real family, but does he _listen_?"

Evan chuckled and let the subject drop. "So, tell me about this third-year Slytherin," he said. "What's he like?"

"His name's Adrian North," Zephyr began. "And he's – well, he's kind of like you. He's sarcastic and kind of…what's the word…"

"Jaded?" Evan supplied. When Zephyr gave him a blank look, he sighed and added, "He doesn't exactly have a happy-go-lucky attitude about life?"

"Yeah, that's it," Zephyr said. "Anyway, he's great company. He knows how to break up a tense moment and make everybody laugh." Suddenly, he noticed how Evan's eyes were sparkling with suppressed mirth. "What?"

"Nothing…it's nothing." The corner of Evan's mouth seemed to be making threats to pull up into a smirk. "I'm just thinking."

Zephyr narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Spill it!"

Now Evan _did_ smirk. "Well, I was just thinking…you sound like a teenage girl going on about her boyfriend." There was a half-stifled laugh from the mirror _and_ from behind Zephyr. Evan turned and grinned at whoever was behind him. Zephyr didn't.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, trying his hand at mimicking Evan's "tell me what you mean _right_ now, or there will be problems" tone. Someone on his brother's side snorted, then quickly turned it into a cough.

Evan bit his lip as though trying not to laugh. "I just meant that it…it sounds like you've got a crush on this boy."

The person behind Evan – most likely Stryker – had a severe cough attack, and the person behind Zephyr – Draco – burst out laughing. Zephyr stared wide-eyed at his brother, feeling his cheeks flame. His expression made Evan chuckle softly. "Easy, Zephyr, don't have a heart attack. I'm only teasing. How's everything else going?"

"F-fine, I guess," Zephyr stammered, still a bit off-balance. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "Um, except, Draco and I got detention…"

All amusement vanished from Evan's expression, and he said seriously, "With who, and for what?"

"It was stupid," Zephyr muttered. "The new teacher, Lockhart, is a complete idiot. He was going on and on about how he made it so a vampire couldn't eat anything but salad…"

"Moron," Draco muttered.

"And Draco said that it wasn't possible and that everybody with half a brain knew a vampire would get poisoned to death if they ate salad." Evan let out an amused snort. "Which made a bunch of us laugh. For some reason, Lockhart picked me and Draco out to do detention."

Stryker's voice said, "Because he was wrong? This 'Lockhart' doesn't sound like the brightest star in the sky. Why is Dumbledore hiring _morons_ to do a teacher's job?"

Evan's head turned. "Don't forget, dearest Dumbles _is_ a moron."

Stryker scoffed. "Of course. How stupid of me to forget."

"Well, Zephyr, I think the only thing you could do would be to do the detention," the Darkness Elemental went on, returning his attention to Zephyr as his violet eyes darkened with worry and a bit of anger. "Though I don't like it one bit. Why give you both detention, rather than just Draco? After all, he made the remark."

"…I laughed…?" Zephyr offered uncertainly.

Evan's brow creased in a frown. "Yet, as you said, you were not the only one. It makes no sense."

Zephyr lifted his shoulders in a helpless shrug. "There was something else I wanted to tell you, too," he said, wanting to change the subject away from Lockhart's idiocy. When Evan's eyes lit up with interest, he went on, "You know the Weasleys?"

Evan suddenly looked amused. "I know _of_ them. If Lucius has ranted about them once, he's done it a thousand times. What about them?"

"Well, their daughter keeps stalking me." Behind him, Draco had another laughing fit. Ignoring him, Zephyr complained, "She follows me everywhere, and keeps telling me that we'll get married some day! She's only a _first year_!" Draco suddenly started to cough, his amusement replaced by horror.

Evan screwed up his face. Stryker was making gagging noises in the background, as if she was clutching her throat and pretending to suffocate. "That's just…um…" Evan muttered. He seemed lost for words. He finally settled with, "Yuck."

"Double yuck," Stryker commented.

"Yeah." Zephyr looked over to his friend and asked, "Alright, buddy?" Draco looked like he wanted to throw up, or hit something.

"Never better," Draco snarled sarcastically, throwing Zephyr a nasty look.

Evan's faint chuckle brought Zephyr's attention back to the mirror. His brother still looked a bit sickened, but there was faint amusement clear in his expression as well. "Just make it clear to her that you're not interested," the brown-haired man said. "Well, it's got to be getting close to your curfew, brother. Anything else before I bid you adieu?"

Zephyr frowned. "Well, the youngest Weasley boy has been harassing me, too, but he doesn't look like he could throw – or take – a punch."

"Or a hex," Draco put in. "He's so scrawny I bet one good hit would have him out cold in seconds."

"Even so, don't let your guard down," Evan warned. "And _never_ underestimate an opponent. And let him make the first move – don't attack _him_ unless he goes after _you_."

"Yes, sir," Zephyr said, and saluted.

"Oh, go to bed, you brat," Evan said affectionately. Zephyr snickered. "Goodnight, Zephyr."

"Night, Evan. Talk to you soon?"

Evan smiled. "Any time you want to talk to me, I'm here." Then his face vanished, and Zephyr was left to think over the conversation.

OoOoO

"_Viridis,"_ he called softly. Excitement made his hands – small, feminine hands, though that would change soon – shake. Finally – he knew how to set her free, and it was so simple he couldn't believe it had never occurred to him. All he had to do was give her _permission_ to leave and go wherever she wanted.

"_Young one,"_ the soft voice replied. He kept his eyes closed, and stretched out a hand to touch his companion. He had no need to fear the great snake's stare, but this tiny girl would be dead in a heartbeat.

"_I've remembered, my lovely, I've remembered,"_ he hissed excitedly, brushing his fingers over her rough hide. _"I've known all along how to set you free…all I have to do is give you permission."_

A large snout bumped his shoulder gently. _"We should wait, Master. Wait until the little ones have gone in leaftime. Then I won't hurt them without meaning to."_

He hissed, frustrated. _"No, then it will be too late. I will have to leave as well, with this child's body. It must be done before then."_

Viridis did not reply right away. She knew the speaker was desperate to free her, to fulfill his promise. But the little humans had arrived, and if one of them ran into her…like that poor child long before…it would be a disaster. _"Please, young one, listen. I have waited until now, for you to remember. A little longer will make no difference. Remember the girl."_

He flinched and recoiled. He remembered well… _"She didn't have to die. She was just…in the wrong place, at the wrong time."_

"_Because you tried to set me free too soon,"_ Viridis hissed gently. _"I'm asking you…begging you, as your friend…to wait."_

He clenched his jaw. Patience had never been his strong point, when Viridis was involved. She had been trapped for _far too long_. It was time to break her chains and set her free. _"Viridis…I, as your Tamer and friend…set you free, to go where you want and never return if you so wish."_

"_No, young one!"_ she hissed. But it was too late.

"_As a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, I release you from your prison!"_

"_You foolish boy!"_ Viridis closed her eyes and let out a long, soft hiss. But she slithered past him, and towards one of the many pipes leading out of the Chamber. She could only hope she wouldn't run into anyone…

OoOoO

"I swear, that detention was the worst thing I've ever been through, Aylen," Zephyr groaned.

Aylen, wrapped securely around his neck, laughed softly. _"I don't doubt you, koishii."_

"I mean, answering fan mail! Ugh! And the way that _leech_ keeps going on and on about himself…" He trailed off, surprised when he heard a soft splash. He looked down. Then he gasped and looked up.

A cat…not just any cat, but the one that followed the caretaker around everywhere. Why was it up there? And why…

_Why wasn't it moving?_

OoOoO

She watched the child, saddened by her mistake. The cat had been in the wrong place at the wrong time when she decided to look around, see where she was.

Just like last time.

_Master, you fool,_ she thought. _It's happening again._

**-0-0-0-**

**Short, and for that I apologize. I'm half asleep, so if the end sucks, well...you know why. XD**


	37. XXXVII

Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: **1. **This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

**2. **I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

**3. **Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't _care_ if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

**4.** There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

**5.** I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: -sigh- I wish I owned Harry Potter. I'd have written a better ending to the series. Joanne really disappointed us all with hers.

OoOoO

Zephyr was trying not to gulp for air. He was trying and failing not to hyperventilate. Not even Aylen's soft hissing and insistent nuzzling at his neck was calming him down. He couldn't tear his gaze from the cat. It was hanging from one of the torches by its tail. It was stiff as a board. Was it…dead?

"Aylen," he whispered hoarsely. "Is it…" He swallowed hard, trying to control the tremor in his voice. "Breathing?"

_"I can't tell, not from here. We have to get out of here, koishii. Now. Quickly!"_ Aylen hissed, nudging her head against his chin with all the force she could muster. He grunted at the hit, but he still couldn't bring himself to move.

"What does it say?" he muttered, suddenly focusing on the red words on the wall. What were they written in? Was it blood or extremely convincing paint? "'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened…'" Zephyr read, leaning closer to the message

_"Zephyr! Move! **Now**! Someone's coming! We've got to **go**!" _Her distress finally seemed to register with him. He shook his head as though rousing himself, and turned to run.

Not a moment too soon. He could her faint, approaching footsteps behind him – student or teacher, he had no way of knowing – and then a horrified gasp. "Mrs. Norris! Who did this to you?!" It was the caretaker – the owner of the cat.

Zephyr didn't dare look back. "Aylen," he whispered. "What's the Chamber of Secrets?"

_"I'll tell you later,"_ she hissed faintly, sounding somewhat shaken. The young serpent shook her head, coiling more tightly around Zephyr's neck. _"Next time I tell you to run, **run**, you foolish hatchling,"_ she added, more fiercely. _"That's what you're like – a hatchling, making useless noise, not listening when you're told what to do, not knowing what's going on around you. Pay attention next time – because next time you may not be so lucky."_

Zephyr was surprised, to say the least, at this rant from the normally gentle serpent. Her words had a distinctly dark ring as she finished speaking. They were quiet for a while, as he jogged lightly down hallways and corridors on his way to the dungeons. Then, as they were nearing their destination, he murmured, "You know what did that to the cat." Aylen was silent, so he went on more softly still, "And you're afraid of it, so you won't tell me what it was."

_"Not afraid, koishii,"_ she sighed unexpectedly. _"Merely cautious. Because you don't want to know what could happen if you were to run into her."_

"'Her'?" Zephyr questioned, curiosity stirring. "It's a 'her'?"

_"Yes, little speaker. She is more dangerous than you can possibly imagine."_

"What is she?"

Aylen was quiet. He had begun to think she wasn't going to answer, when she hissed softly, _"She…is the Guardian I told you about, little speaker. Do you remember?"_

"Vaguely," he admitted.

Her bright yellow eyes flared for just a second. _"'Vaguely' will have to be good enough for you, until you are ready to know the whole story – or rather, legend."_

Zephyr sighed, but let it rest, knowing Aylen wouldn't speak another word on the subject. Then he brightened. Maybe Draco would tell him more.

OoOoO

"'Guardian', eh?" Draco leaned back against the headboard of his four-poster, frowning thoughtfully. "Well, I don't know what that might be. And I don't know what's up with the cat, either. But I can tell you about the Chamber of Secrets." Zephyr leaned toward him, seated on his own bed.

"You know about the four founders of the school, right?" Draco said. Zephyr nodded. "Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. The story goes that three of them got along great, and one did not. Three guesses who," the blonde boy added with a roll of his dove gray eyes. "Anyway, they say that Slytherin wanted to weed out the Muggle-borns; stop them from coming to the school. The others disagreed, and he decided to leave the school. But supposedly, before he did, he built a secret chamber, underneath the castle. Then he sealed it, until his heir returned to finish his work."

Zephyr frowned. "But…who _is_ his heir?"

Draco shrugged, spreading his arms and turning his palms upwards in the universal "you got me" gesture. "Dunno. Some say it's just a legend. They don't believe in it at all. They tease each other about it, if you listen. 'Be careful you don't accidentally fall into the Chamber of Secrets!'"

The black-haired boy heaved a frustrated sigh and threw himself backward so he was sprawled across his bed. "This is going to bother me," he muttered.

"You and me both, Zeph. You and me both," Draco said. Zephyr heard him shifting his blankets, as if getting ready to settle for the night. "Good night, brother."

Zephyr had to smile at the reminder that they were blood-brothers now. "Good night, brother," he replied. But even as Draco turned over and shut off his bedside lamp, Zephyr remained wide awake. It had to be close to midnight – but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep his eyes shut.

A soft hissing invaded the silence. At first he thought it might be Aylen, hissing in her sleep, but then he realized that the voice was different. It was whispering to itself, it would seem. Most of the words were too soft for him to hear clearly. But when he finally heard one word, his blood ran cold.

_"…Kill…"_

OoOoO

"Run this by me again," Evan muttered, running his hand over his face. "You were up late, and you heard hissing."

Zephyr nodded, staring desperately into his brother's violet eyes through the mirror. Draco was beside him, listening to the story while ruffling sleep-tousled blonde hair and yawning widely.

"You couldn't hear most of what was said," Evan went on. "But then you swear you heard it say, 'kill'."

"That's right."

"Are you sure you aren't just freaking yourself out over nothing?" Evan asked with devastating calm. "Maybe you didn't hear what you thought you heard. Besides, it may not have been hiss –"

"It _was_!" Zephyr snapped. Evan's eyes widened fractionally. Zephyr immediately felt guilty, and opened his mouth to apologize. But the words stuck in his throat when Evan's amethyst eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Fine," he said coolly, and Zephyr was reminded that it was _early_ and that even Evan had a temper – and he could lose it. "But even if it was, it may have been Aylen, or," he added, raising his voice a bit as Zephyr opened his mouth to interrupt, "someone else may have a snake as a familiar."

"I don't think one of the other boys has one," Draco put in. "But Zephyr hides Aylen well. Who's to say someone can't hide another snake just as well – if not better?" Evan nodded.

"She would have smelled it," Zephyr said.

"Okay, then not one of the second years," Evan said. "One of the older or younger boys."

"Adrian would know," Draco muttered through another yawn. "We could ask him over breakfast. Let's go down, Zephyr. No point in chasing what isn't there."

"Yes, go eat breakfast," Evan said. Zephyr turned to look at his brother questioningly. "Eat breakfast," the brunet repeated. "Go to your classes. When you're done, at the end of the day, we'll talk some more." The Darkness Elemental let out a long sigh.

"Wait!" Zephyr blurted before Evan could go. He received two questioning looks. Before he spoke he glanced around to make sure the other boys were sound asleep. He lowered his voice to a murmur as he went on, "The sixth? Have you found them?"

Evan shook his head slowly. "The bond gets stronger every once in a while," he sighed. "But so far…whoever they are…they haven't realized their powers yet. And they probably won't, for a while yet." The brunet's head turned. "I have to go. And so do you. We'll talk again later." Then he vanished from the mirror.

OoOoO

Evan threw himself onto the couch without any grace whatsoever. He let out a low groan, rubbing his forehead. "What a _nice_ day I'm having," he muttered to himself. "Stryker and Xavier _still_ aren't speaking, and Zephyr gets into more problems than I can keep track of." He paused, then added in somewhat thoughtful tones, "And I think I'm getting a migraine on top of it all."

"You sound like you're in a terrific mood," a deep, amused voice said. Evan looked up to meet warm deep green eyes and a faint half-smile.

"I'm on Cloud Nine, here," Evan said, his words dripping with sarcasm. Deidrick chuckled softly, straightening from his almost doubled over position. He'd been leaning over Evan, and was surprised he hadn't freaked the newest Elemental out.

"I've heard you sing," he said. "Maybe that's all you need – just some time to sing, and maybe play the Malfoys' piano."

Evan was quiet, considering. "Maybe," he conceded.

"I'll leave you to think about it, then." In a few moments, the blond man had left the room.

"Two of my friends are warring, and my brother's in danger. It's almost enough to make me want to hit someone," Evan sighed, to him self again. Or so he thought.

"You've never struck me as the violent type." He yelped and twisted, trying to see who was behind him this time. He wound up falling from the couch to the, thankfully carpeted, floor. Muttering curses, he got to his feet, embarrassed when he heard Stryker's soft laughter. She must have come in without him noticing. Or maybe she'd been here all along.

"I'm so cool," he muttered sarcastically, mentally berating himself for dropping his guard _and_ falling off the couch. Then, suddenly struck by inspiration, he sang, "_Too bad I'm a loser._"

Stryker raised an eyebrow, recognizing the song. "_I'm so smart,_" she sang in reply. "_Too bad I can't get anything figured out._"

Evan grinned. "_I'm so brave,_" he sang, raising his chin a bit. "_Too bad I'm a baby._"

"_I'm so fly,_" she gave back, and they sang together, "_That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time._" He held out a hand in invitation, and she hesitated only for a second before taking it and allowing him to twirl her.

"_I'm so clean,_" she sang as she did the accompanying spin, "_It's really amazing._"

"_I'm so clean, too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me,_" Evan sang, unable to keep the smile off his face. His happiness was intoxicating, and Stryker found herself smiling back.

"_I'm so sane, it's driving me crazy,_" she responded, throwing her head back.

"_It's so strange, I can't believe it,_" Evan continued, and again they finished in unison, _"Feels just like I'm falling for the first time._"

They were silent after that, just giving each other calm looks, despite the fact that they were both somewhat out of breath. After a moment, Stryker said softly, "You sing well."

He couldn't have stopped his smile even if he wanted to. "You're not so bad yourself." Was he imagining the faint blush that bloomed at his words? She cleared her throat and looked away. "We should sing together again sometime," he added.

The corners of her mouth turned upwards faintly. "Sure." He took her hand and jokingly kissed her knuckles. _Definitely a blush,_ he thought as the faint pink color across her cheeks deepened. "I enjoyed our song and dance, Miss Stryker," he said, dropping her hand and taking a low bow.

He was almost certain what happened next was only a figment of his imagination. His heart gave a jump as he felt slender fingers brush the back of his neck and slide around to touch his shoulder, before Stryker said softly, "So did I." Then she was gone, her footsteps nearly silent. When he straightened, he stared after her.

Evan was left wondering what had just happened, and why the back of his neck was tingling.

OoOoO

_I shouldn't have done that,_ Stryker thought, shutting her bedroom door gently. She slumped against it, cradling her hand to her chest as her heart beat hard and fast against her ribcage. Her fingertips were prickling, and though she rubbed at them the sensation didn't fade. _Really shouldn't have done that._ "Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered through clenched teeth, raising a faintly shaking hand to run her fingers through her short black hair. "Idiot. Moron. What a stupid move."

She couldn't believe herself. She'd _never_ done anything like that. Not even towards Xavier when they'd been together. It had been an affectionate gesture, and she _never_ used affectionate gestures. Never! Not for Xavier or Deidrick, not for Hana or Rose. Or…well…the sixth probably wasn't called "Rose" anymore. It had, after all, been two hundred years since they'd last saved the world.

What was happening to her? She felt like such a damned _schoolgirl_ whenever Evan was around. So self-conscious and…and…

_Damn it! I don't want this!_ Her eyes were stinging as if she was about to cry. _I've turned into such a complete pansy,_ she thought angrily, blinking back the tears of fury.

_Why?!_ She wailed inwardly, only just stopping herself from screaming the thought out loud. _He's just a friend! Maybe the best friend I've ever had, because we're so alike, but still just a friend. I don't **want** this…_

"Shit," she cursed, sliding down the door to curl up in a fetal position. She buried her face in her knees. After a while, she lifted her head and whispered into the room, "I don't want to lose Evan…he's…the best friend I've had in a while."

_And I hope it will stay that way,_ she added silently. _But only time will tell. And time…unfortunately…probably isn't on our side._


	38. UPDATE

UPDATE:

I hope to god that you guys don't kill me for posting another not-chapter update.

But this is important. I do keep an eye on my e-mails, and even though I haven't worked on Serpentine in a while, I've seen that to this day, people STILL follow this story. All I can say is I'm honestly touched. This is my most popular story, and I love every single one of you who've added it to your favorites and took the time to write reviews.

Chakahlah, your reviews in particular have made me laugh hard, and I look back at them with a fond smile. I hope you'll continue to watch as these developments unfold, because I look forward to your input – and your Dumbledore rants. XD

To everyone who pointed out where I made mistakes and where I could be better, THANK YOU. In the three years since I started Serpentine, and the time I've spent away from it, I've gotten better in writing and desperately miss my favorite characters.

SO. Here's what's happening.

Basically, I'm diving in headfirst and rewriting Serpentine up to where I am now – and then I'll keep going. Not EVERYTHING is going to change, but I will say Evan will be older. I see now that my timeline and having him so young was a huge stretch. Also, I'm making a promise to you that the chapters will be longer. I want to put more effort in this time. Change what needs to be changed.

Keep an eye out for the first few chapters!

As an aside, when I have about ten rewritten, I'm going to copy-paste the rest into Microsoft Word and this version of the story will be taken down. I'm going to work on them one after the other and post a few at a time, I think, because I'm in a writing mood – and I do miss Evan and Zephyr.

Cheers!


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